Tyranny of Dragons: The Defense of Greenest
by Archerlord
Summary: Calder Notley lived a simple life as a hunter for his tribe. Yet, when he finally meets his long lost father, he is thrown into a wild adventure. Joined by new companions in a strange land unfamiliar to him, Calder finds himself defending a small town besieged by raiders. Yet, it soon becomes clear to Calder that this raid is only the start of his destiny to protect the world.
1. Family Reunion

Calder Notley woke up, feeling the sharp, freezing breeze of the blizzard outside his tent. The fur draped over the cloth lining of his tent did little to stop the shearing cold from penetrating its layers. However, being raised in the far north, the ranger had adapted to the frigid climate, much like his family and tribe. He had lived most of his life in the tundra and had grown content with it. While others would pull their blankets closer in an attempt to warm themselves, he instead rose from the ground, knowing it was time to move out. He had an important meeting to make early today and knew that if he was late, there may be no second chance.

Although raised by a human tribe, Calder was a half-elf. His father, Fivin, was an elf who came across the nomads and met a huntress who would end up being the ranger's mother. Fivin later left as he did not wish to endure the harsh conditions the others lived in for decades. Although his father was gone, he had inherited mostly his traits: his body was lean, his ginger hair reached down to his shoulders, and his ears were slightly pointed. It was clear to see the differences the half-elf had from his own family, so he compensated for this by wearing the leather armor the hunters wore and wielding a oak longbow in battle while keeping two short swords sheathed behind his back.

When it came time to leave, Calder grabbed his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and made his way out of the makeshift tent. The blizzard nearly blinded him, making it next to impossible to see too far ahead. Thankfully, not too far away, the ranger made out the outline of his half-brother, Manning, carrying a torch whose bright red flame burned intensely. The half-elf made his way over to him, where it was clear to see the differences the two had. Manning was a pure human with short black hair and a bulky build. He too wore leather armor to show off his muscles and holstered his great axe across his back to carry the torch. He scowled at his brother, his hatred for being dragged out here clear to see.

"He's here," Manning reported with a grunt. "Ship docked on the ice not too long ago."

"Are we sure it's him and not an unfortunate group of traders?" Calder asked.

"I doubt anyone would want to stay this far north," Manning shrugged indifferently

"That didn't answer my question," Calder pointed out.

"It wasn't meant to," Manning told him with a huff. "If you want to find out, you can get on board. I'm staying outside."

"As you insist," Calder agreed. "Let's be off then."

"Aye," Manning told him, taking point. "The ship isn't too far away. Only a few minutes of a walk."

The brothers walked together, Manning in the front and Calder in the back. Although the former seemed hostile to the latter, it was only because that what they were doing was risky and warranted punishment. In reality, the fact that the warrior agreed to guided his brother this far was a show of the bond they had. The duo tread across the ice carefully, moving ahead. Thankfully, given their experience with the environment, they slid very little, moving just fast enough to keep up with their goal. One wrong slip and they would be delayed by a short fall.

Finally, the two saw their destination ahead, lit lamps showing the outline of it in the intense blizzard. Approaching closer, they could hear the waves of the sea crashing against the ice. Finally, the blurred image of their objective was revealed to be a wooden ship, grand in size. Their tribe had only utilized keelboats, so seeing a ship this size with masts and sails soaring up into the sky was enough to impress them. An unidentified member of the crew saw them approach and shout indistinguishable words to the rest of the crew. The two saw that a gangplank led up to the deck of the ship, where the crew would be waiting.

"I shall return to our people," Manning told Calder. "You will be safe, yes?"

"If the message I received is true, then I shall be, yes," Calder confirmed with a smile. "I thank you for seeing me this far, brother."

"You would have done the same for me," Manning grinned, extending his hand to his brother.

"That I would," Calder nodded, gripping Manning's hand in a firm handshake. "Take care, Manning."

"You will return, yes?" Manning asked, still holding his brother's hand.

"Eventually," Calder hesitantly answered. "I assure you this isn't our last meeting."

"I'll hold you to that promise," Manning released his brother. "Until next we meet."

With that, Manning turned away from the ship, walking back to the direction they came from. Calder looked over his shoulder, keeping an eye on his brother until the flame that marked his location was shrouded by the blizzard. The half-elf was thankful to have the support of his brother, even if they were not fully related by blood. The tribe shunned the ranger based on his father's blood and it was Manning who looked after him throughout the years. Even today, the warrior gave up some of his own time to ensure his safety.

After seeing his brother off, Calder approached the ramp that led into the ship and walked up it, soon standing upon the deck. A little more than a dozen men of various races had their weapons drawn, half wielding swords and half wielding crossbows. The ranger held his hands up in the air, signifying that he means no harm, but the volatile crew did not back off. There were others on the deck of the ship, either carrying mops and buckets of water, moving heavy crates together, or scrubbing the ice off the wooden railings. Whenever they looked up at the scene, they immediately turned away in fear, pretending not to notice. It was clear to see how the ranking of the crew on this ship went.

"Well, what do we got here, boys?" a burly man wearing a thick, fur coat to protect him from the blizzard approached, scimitar drawn out.

"My name is Calder Notley," he introduced himself. "I'm here-"

"Did I ask you?" the captain asked, glaring at him to silence him. "Would someone of my crew answer?"

"Captain, I think this is the man our employer wanted to see," a feminine voice, not from the armed crew, called out.

"Someone of the servant rank dares to speak?!" the captain lashed out, swinging his scimitar. "Come on, show yourself! You know the rules and I know the voice of my mates well enough!"

"Forget her," Calder told the captain. "Your employer is with you, is he not? Is the elven wizard Fivin with you or am I wasting my time?"

"Aye, he's with us," the captain grinned. "Gave us his life savings just to see his boy one last time. Hate to tell you now, but he has nothing left to give you in his final will."

"Is he dead then?" Calder asked curiously.

"Not yet, but he will be," the captain bluntly told him. "Sickness is claiming him. Was pretty sure that the journey north would be enough to kill him but he's still standing. Someone go and fetch him. One of the servants. I want all of my mates here just in case he tries something."

One of the servants, a man who looked incredibly thin from lack of food, quickly went down to the cabins. Calder remained where he stood, slowly lowering his hands down to his side. Although he had yet to pull out his bow, the crew all kept their weapons out as if expecting him to try anything. The ranger did not bother asking them to lower their blades, knowing it would get him nowhere. Based on the command structure of the crew, it seemed like he was dealing with pirates. Although he had never met one himself, he had heard tales of how they shanghaied the weak to join their crew to perform menial tasks. The captain ruled with fear, able to command just enough armed men to handle any uprising.

It had not taken too long when the servant had returned, supporting a weak and feeble elf at his side. The captain was right when he said that Fivin had little time left on this world. His skin was incredibly pale and wrinkled, his gray hair was tattered and falling out, and without support, he would not be able to carry himself anywhere. The only thing good left were the black robes he wore, finely sewn together. Even though he had never seen the man before, Calder felt sorry for his father when he stared into his weak, green eyes. The wizard broke away from the servant, stumbling as he fell. The ranger ducked down, quickly catching him before he hit the ground and lifted him back up.

"You actually came," Fivin muttered. "I thought for sure your mother would see the message destroyed."

"I got to it first," Calder told his father. "I've been taking lessons from the healer. Maybe I can find a way to help you."

"You can help me, but not in that regard, son," Fivin shook his head, strands of hair falling down. "I made a grave mistake during my search for power, one that may very well change the world as we know it."

"What have you done, Father?" Calder asked, shocked by this news. "What could possibly be that dangerous."

"You see, my mistake had been to join an organization called the Cult of the Dragon," Fivin recounted his story. "They were large in number but their goals were far too ambitious. I did little to help them, only intending to use their resources to aid in my research. Yet, I am aware of the whispers, saying that they have finally found a way to fulfill their plans."

"And what can I possibly do?" Calder asked hesitantly. "Unlike you, I'm not a powerful wizard. I'm just a hunter! How can I possibly hope to confront this cult and succeed where you've failed? I think that you came to the wrong man to settle this matter, Father."

"No, I've come to the right man for the job," Fivin smiled weakly. "I'm powerful, yes, but I only have a spell or two left in me before the strain of magic proves to be too much. You're young, and although inexperienced, I believe that you will find a way to succeed and make up for my sins. It's funny, but I was never a religious man. Yet, I can finally see death, and I know exactly where I'm going. I don't think me telling you will make up for all that I've done. Please, son, grant this wretched man his deathbed wish."

Calder looked hesitantly at his father, questioning if the sickness that befell him was affecting his sanity. Although he had never heard of the Cult of the Dragon or was aware of its strength, he knew that one man was not enough to take down an organization. Fivin was asking too much of him and had been expecting that his son would get the job done simply because they shared the same blood. Yet, this was their first meeting, meaning that the two had nearly no bond with each other. The half-elf only called him father to comfort the dying wizard. It would be easy to say he would stop the cult but return home once the elf passed away, but he did not think it would be right to lie to a dying man.

Yet, if the Cult of the Dragon was a threat that an elderly but powerful wizard could not handle, it must be dangerous to the world. Unlike his father, Calder doubted that he could put a stop to such a cult. Still, part of him knew that despite his lack of skill and experience, he had to try. For all the ranger knew, this threat could affect the entire world, including the small, isolated bastion that his tribe dwelled in. If this threat could be eliminated before it could achieve his plan, it would mean that his family was protected from harm. Even if the half-elf did not think he would succeed, he knew that there was no turning back now.

"I shall help you, Father," Calder replied, slowly smiling. "If this Cult of the Dragon stands against the world, then I shall stand against them to protect it."

"I knew that you would make the right choice in the end, son," Fivin nodded slowly. "The journey will be long and perilous for you, but I think I might have the strength to help you just this once."

"Now hold up," the captain spoke up with a growl. "You're not leaving. You still owe me the other half of your payment."

"I gave to you all of my life's saving at harbor," Fivin did not turn to confront the man. "It is half of the payment I promised, but it is all I can promise. Surely, you can see that the world is at stake here though."

"It may be, but you still owe me, and since you can't pay, I think I'll have you work it off," the captain threatened, grinning. "And when you die, the debt will fall upon your boy there, and he too will have to work it out."

"Father, I don't think you thought this out," Calder resisted the urge to grab his bow in defense. "I don't think we're going anywhere."

"And that's where you're wrong, son," Fivin grinned weakly, cackling. "They took my spellbook away, but I still had a spell prepared designed just to help us and our new friend."

"Fire!" the captain ordered, laughing.

Calder saw the crew wielding crossbows fire their bolts, which flew towards the pair standing in the middle of the deck. Reacting to the attack, the ranger grabbed his father and knelt down with him, attempting to shield him. While doing so, he swore that he heard Fivin chanting an incantation he had never heard of. The half-elf felt something incredibly powerful tugging on him, a supernatural force that he could barely detect. It had to be the spell the elderly wizard had in mind, the one he was now chanting. With the crossbow bolts only inches away, he blacked out as the spell finally came into effect.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey everyone, the name's Archer, and I'm here to introduce the first installment to my Tyranny of Dragons DnD series.**

 **The first time I played Dungeons and Dragons was one year ago, with a group of high school friends. Even though I had no clue what I was doing half the time, I fell in love with the game. After our group fell apart with everyone off to college, I researched 5e and all of the books that came with it, including the different adventures. Finding a new group has been a struggle of mine since my first group disbanded, and I have yet to see a campaign completed. So, I thought it would be best to take one of these adventures and write it into a story.**

 **I got big plans for this series and plan to expand into the other adventures as well. Expect weekly updates every Wednesday. I hope that you enjoyed this introduction, and if you feel the need too, feel free to follow me, this story, or leave a review.**

 **Until next time.**


	2. The Start of a Journey

When Calder opened his eyes, the world around him was spinning. He stumbled when he tried to move, forcing him to remain still. Thankfully, the half-elf was confident that he was still alive, even after the crossbows were fired at them. He was unscathed as of now, his headache being the result of whatever Fivin casted. Although the ranger was glad that his life was intact, he hoped to never go through such an experience ever again.

Slowly, Calder started to recover with the spinning around him coming to an end and his vision became clearer. He gasped softly, finding himself in a clear and snowless field. The ground beneath him was a bright green with blades extending upward and the air was warmer than the north. Hesitantly, the ranger knelt down on the ground, running his hand through the patch of blades. There was a slight breeze blowing, the unfamiliar plantlife dancing in it. The half-elf had never been to a place so full of life before and was truly amazed by what he saw. His tribe never dared to leave the frozen north but already he could tell it was much better than the harsh living conditions.

Suddenly, Calder heard a groan come from behind. It was feminine and immediately he could tell that it was not Fivin. The ranger quickly stood up and pivoted around, pulling out his bow and nocking an arrow on it in one swift motion. Before him was a human woman, her face youthful yet dirtied. She wore ragged and stained brown robes that went down to the ground, covering her legs and feets completely. She had dark, crimson hair that was unkempt and her gray eyes shot out in worry upon seeing the danger she was in.

"Don't shoot!" the woman begged, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm not an enemy, I swear!"

"I remember your voice," Calder commented, the memory coming to mind. "You were the one that spoke out to the captain and escaped punishment."

"Yes, my name is Skylar," the stranger introduced, hands shaking in fear. "I looked after your father while we were on board the ship. I swear, you can ask him!"

Calder always had a gift for seeing past spoken words to find the meaning behind them. Yet, with Skylar, he could not tell if her words were truth or lie. While he had only just met her, an outsider, he knew that there were many ways to tell someone if they were lying. The change of their breathing, the stiffening of their body position, or the shuffling of feet. The mysterious woman remained completely still yet she was controlling her breathing, remarkable given that he had an arrow aimed at her skull. Slowly, he lowered his bow, deciding it would be best to ask Fivin if she spoke the truth.

However, much to his surprise, Calder could not see Fivin anywhere in the open field. He had expected for the elderly elf to be sprawled out on the ground, exhausted after casting a spell that took them away from the north. Instead, he was gone, nowhere in sight. The ranger did not think his father would leave him so soon unless he did not have a choice. It was his idea to travel south to stop the Cult of the Dragon, and there was still much to be explained regarding their secrets. In the end, there was only one confusion he came to.

"He's gone," Calder muttered. "The spell must have been too much for him to handle."

"Maybe he landed elsewhere," Skylar suggested, slowly bringing her hands down. "This wasn't supposed to be our destination."

"And how do you know our destination?" Calder asked suspiciously. "I thought you were only a captured member of that crew."

"Well, yes, but I spoke with your father during the voyage," Skylar explained to him. "He told me that once he found you that he would make his way to a town called Greenest."

"And why did he trust you?" Calder continued his questioning. "What made you different than the rest of the pirates on that ship."

 _Well, I think talking to him when no one else could helped._

Upon hearing the whispers in his head, Calder's first instinct was to take aim at the stranger. Yet, when he raised his bow, he noticed that her finger had been pointed at him while blue flames blinked around her head. Like Fivin, she was a spellcaster. Although, if she had been captured by a group of pirates, it meant that she was not as powerful as his father. However, at that moment, he decided that it may be a good idea to trust her. She seemed innocent enough and her powers could be useful in confronting the Cult of the Dragon. He returned the arrow to its quiver and holstered his bow across his back, calmly approaching the woman..

"So, you're a wizard like my father then?" Calder asked her.

"Well, not quite," Skylar looked down at the ground. "Wizards train to cast their spells. My powers just come naturally to me. I'm still trying to work them out but it's hard practicing magic in secret when there's a crew of savage pirates watching your every move."

"How strange," Calder commented. "Did my father tell you why we needed to go to Greenest?"

"No, he wanted to wait until you were around before he talked about his task," Skylar explained, looking back at his eyes "He didn't tell me much but did say I would be able to help when the time came?"

"Well, I don't think any of us know where we are, so it's going to be tough finding Greenest," Calder sighed, looking around his surroundings once more. "This land is unfamiliar to me, and Father did not tell us where Greenest is."

"Well, it's a town to the south, so if we walk south, we're bound to find it," Skylar brought up with a hint of hope.

"And what if his spell brought us down south enough that we already passed Greenest?" Calder brought up.

"Well, we keep walking south then," Skylar suggested, giggling lightly. "Technically, if we keep moving south, we'll end up north of where Greenest is once more."

"That's, well, that's true from a certain point of view," Calder acknowledged. "But we're assuming that we are directly south of Greenest when we could be east or west as well."

"And it would be an easier time walking north as well," Skylar added. "So, what do you think we should do?"

Truth be told, Calder was not sure on which way they were going to go from here. They were in a region he was completely unfamiliar with no clue to get to their desired destination. Having lived in isolation in the far north, the ranger was an expert when it came to tracking down prey for food and finding his way back home. There was no finding his way if he had no bearing of the land in the south. They would be wandering around for hours, lost, while the Cult of the Dragon fulfilled whatever vile plans they had in mind for the world.

His first thoughts were to turn north and find his way back to the tribe. However, now that Skylar was with him, he knew that he had a job to take care of, even if it was one forced onto him. If Greenest was so important to the Cult of the Dragon's plans, then they would have to find their way there. Although the ranger was unfamiliar with the ways of other cultures outside his tribe, he had hoped that his new companion could make up for that lack of knowledge.

"Would there be any other towns in this region?" Calder asked her.

"I think so," Skylar hesitantly answered. "I've never been this far to the south as well, but there are towns all across the world."

"Then we find a path and follow it," Calder told her, looking around once more. "If it leads to Greenest, then we will need to find out why we are needed there. If the path takes us to a different town, we get directions to Greenest and move out from there."

"You know, that's a really good plan," Skylar complemented. "We'll arrive at Greenest in no time now!"

"We'll see about that," Calder shrugged, walking off. "I'm not sure where the road is, but I suppose that if we keep moving, we're bound to find one. Regardless, we have several hours until night falls, so let's get moving."

"Shouldn't we wait?" Skylar asked, remaining in place. "Your father did just sacrifice himself to see us here. I feel like that we should have a moment of silence. Shouldn't you be more torn about his death?"

"I'd be more torn if I had known him longer than a few minutes," Calder replied, turning his head over his shoulder. "I'm sad, yes, but not as sad if I had lost my brother or mother. For a long time, I accepted that Father would not be coming back. Until I got his letter, I thought he was dead. Although he is gone now, I cannot mourn for him when we have a job to do."

"Shouldn't we make a memorial for him at the least?" Skylar sighed out, somewhat sadden. "I feel like we owe him that much. He did save our lives, you know.""

"We can, but if we are, we should do it when we are resting," Calder acknowledged, nodding in agreement. "Can you wait until then?"

"I can," Skylar answered quickly. "Let's be off then. We have a cult to stop!"

Calder could not help but smile at Skylar's optimism, which was a change of pace compared to the dull nature of his tribe. Even though it was the two of them against a cult that could be as large as an army, she believed that they could succeed and put a stop to their plans. Maybe Fivin had told her more about what would happen than the ranger suspected. They talked enough to the point that she was closer to the elderly wizard than he was, wanting to put effort into remembering who he was. Still, the half-elf decided that what else she knew did not matter. Right now, their priority was to get to Greenest, a goal that now seemed reasonable.

Skylar caught up with Calder, the two companions now walking side by side. Calder was still hesitant that two people would be enough to stop the Cult of the Dragon, even with his archery and her magic. If they were going to overcome the challenge, they would need more help. The only people the ranger thought of that could help was his tribe, and he knew that they would not bother leaving the frozen wasteland they call home. There was no one he knew this far south that he could count on to aid them in the coming battle. It was up to him to save the world from whatever his foe had planned, and that thought did not sit well with him.

* * *

 **A/N: With this story, I decided to go with a different approach to the beginning. In Hoard of the Dragon Queen, the players just happen to be traveling together. Instead, I decided to bring the band of heroes together before the action starts to pick up. For those of you who are waiting for the action, I assure you that these introductory chapters will not take too long.**

 **Finally, I'd just like to thank Isada for writing the first review of this story.**

 **Until next time.**


	3. The Legendary Master Blackwood

Hours have passed since Calder and Skylar set off on their journey, leaving the green fields behind them. It was about a hour or two after midday, the sun high in the sky slowly descended. The ranger thought that they would have a few more hours of travel before night fell upon them. Truth be told, he hoped that they found some sort of civilization before then. He unfortunately left behind most of his camping supplies back north, having expected that his visit with his father would not take too long. Of course, Skylar had no supplies either. They were not prepared to set up camp for the night, so finding a town was their best option.

Unfortunately, after walking for miles, there was no sign of a town. The two had been lucky enough to find a dirt path and followed it, although he was unsure of where it was taking them. Calder hoped that it had a end destination in mind. If it did not, they would have spent a good part of the day wasting their time. Even if it was not Greenest awaiting for them at the end, the ranger hoped there was a town. He was uncertain on if they should risk camping for the night without the proper supplies and had to push on for now. Eventually, the duo reached a part of the path where another trail forked into the road.

"Do you think it'd be best to follow the other path?" Skylar asked, looking around. "This path isn't taking us anywhere."

"Not yet," Calder told her, kneeling down. "Take a look at this. I'm pretty sure we're going the right way now."

Skylar knelt by Calder, both of them now looking down at the ground. In the dirt were two straight vertical lines running parallel to each other. The tracks went back from the fork and headed down the path they were following. Others had passed by, now taking the same path as they did. This was good news to the ranger, who believed that the were on the right path. There would at least be other people awaiting them soon enough.

"A cart passed by," Skylar commented with a nod, standing back up. "Maybe a traveling merchant. That'd mean that there is a town up ahead."

"Then we press on," Calder stood up as well. "We have no time to waste."

The two pressed on, more confident and determined than ever. Calder was slightly ahead, keeping his eyes down to ensure that they remained following the cart's tracks. If they were lucky enough, they may be able to find the cart and its rider fast enough to learn of where they are. If they were truly fortunate, they may be able to hitch a ride to the nearest town before night fell. With that hope in mind, the ranger continued his march, intending to catch up or arrive at a town before the day ends.

As luck would have it, it only took a few minutes for them to see a cart ahead. They move together more swiftly, the cart growing closer with each second. Yet, as they got nearer, Calder came to the realization that the cart was not moving at all. The two mules pulling it were eating away at a patch of grass and the back wheels had fallen into a ditch. While they had mostly good luck, it seemed that the merchant had fallen into bad luck. On the bright side, if they were to help, the stranger should be willing to return the favor.

Nearing the cart, Calder took notice of the two occupants of it. The first was a human that stood upon the cart with fair skin and short golden locks and a patch of matching hair on his chin. His eyes were closed as he plucked away the strings on a stringed instrument that was strangely made of metal. Although the melody was unique compared to the musicians of his tribe, it was average at best. He wore a plain white shirt, brown leather pants, and black boots. He had a rapier sheathed on his hip, hanging on by the belt, hinting that he was no merchant.

The second man was a dwarf, as shown by his short size but heavily muscular build. His head was completely shaven with blue lines tattooed across his scalp. His brown beard grew long, going halfway down his chest while braided up. Strangely enough, he only wore trousers, a pair of shoes with no cover except for pieces of rope, and a necklace made of bone, leaving his upper body completely exposed. Across his upper back were more tattoos, made in the image of a bird stretching its wings. The dwarf had both of his hands gripping the edge of the cart, struggling to lift it up from the ditch.

"Come on, Fargrim," the man encouraged, taking a break from playing his instrument when Calder and Skylar approached. "You can do it!"

"I'm givin' it my all, Master Blackwood," Fargrim grunted, setting the cart back down. "It's just too heavy fer me."

"Well, maybe if you unloaded the cart first, and had your friend help, you could do it," Skylar offered.

"Nay, this is part of Master Blackwood's training," Fargrim told her, not bothering to look back at the pair. "When we first got caught in this ditch, I suggested th' same thin'. He told me that if I wanted te become stronger, I needed to lift this up without any help!"

"Sounds to me like he's just trying to get out of work," Calder commented, frowning. "He's scamming you."

"How dare ye!" Fargrim grabbed a giant greataxe, nearly twice his size, from the cart and turned to face the group. "How dare ye suggest that the Zavier Blackwood, descended from th' greatest dragon slayer te walk th' ground, would be a scam!"

"Calm down, Fargrim," Zavier advised his friend, a drop of sweat dripping from his forehead. "There is no need for violence. You have to remember that not everyone knows of the Blackwood name."

"Aye, sorry about that," Fargrim nodded, throwing his axe back in the cart.

"It's no worry at all," Zavier told his friend, turning back to the two. "Now, what would your names be?"

"I'm Skylar Godwin," she introduced herself.

"Calder Notley," he followed likewise.

"A pleasure to meet you both," Zavier bowed before them. "I am Zavier Blackwood, he who can bravely venture into a dragon's lair, alone might I add, and come out with the stashed hoard and a dragon's head. The dwarf is Fargrim Torun, my student who wishes to learn how best to slay a dragon."

Fargrim and Skylar both stared in awe at Zavier, who grinned at the attention he was receiving. However, Calder remained skeptical of his claims. Dragons are a serious threat that takes many seasoned veterans working together to bring down, suffering many casualties in the process. The man before him was young, meaning that he is not too experienced. For all they knew, he had never faced a dragon before. Fargrim claimed that his companion was descended from a dragon hunter. Although he never heard the Blackwood name before, there may be some truth to find with that. Regardless, remembering how the dwarf responded earlier, the ranger thought it best not to make any more accusations.

However, anyone claiming to be an enemy of dragons meant that they may be opposed to the Cult of the Dragon. Fargrim had shown himself to be a capable warrior of his own merit. Although it was too soon to judge whether Zavier's claims on his reputation were true, he seemed like he knew how to hold his own in a fight and the dwarf followed his command to the letter. If they were to join up, their strength to combat the cult would double. It was all a matter of convincing Zavier, the brains behind the operation.

"I think at the very least, you should get up to help your friend, Zavier," Calder told the man. "There's no way he's going to lift the cart up with you on it by himself."

"You underestimate the strength of my student," Zavier replied, waving the ranger off. "In terms of pure strength, you will find no dwarf that is naturally as strong as Fargrim. He sought me out so that I could hone his skills to use that strength to challenge even the most mighty dragons. Now, once more, Fargrim. I believe that you can do this."

Before anyone can stop him, Fargrim grabbed onto the back of the cart once more, attempting to lift it out of the ditch. Calder rolled his eyes, expecting for the dwarf to fail once more. Yet, when he heard Skylar gasp loudly, the ranger looked down to see that the warrior was lifting the cart up slowly. The wheels were off the ground and about halfway out of the ditch. The half-elf could hardly believe what he was seeing. The cart had to weigh at least two hundred pounds with Zavier and their cargo adding more to that limit. Yet, a single dwarf was capable of lifting it from the ground.

However, Fargrim let out a scream, his fingers accidentally letting go of the cart and sent the wheels slamming back into the ditch. The dwarf was fortunate enough to escape the ordeal unharmed. Zavier was not so lucky. He had been standing confidently on the cart when it was being lifted, and his companion dropping it to the ground happened too quickly. When the wheels impacted against the dirt, the human fell from the cart, landing on the ground with a thud and a groan. Calder grinned at the sight and heard Skylar giggling at the sight.

"Terribly sorry about that, Master Blackwood!" Fargrim rushed over, falling down on his knees and clasping his hands together. "I almost had it! Please, don't stop teachin' me."

"Ugh, my back," Zavier groaned out, not making any attempt to stand back up.

"You know, now that he's off, you'll be able to get the cart off the ground with no problem," Skylar pointed out.

"It'll help if we can get the mules helping as well," Calder advised. "They haven't been doing much except for grazing. I could help you with that."

"Nay," Fargrim shook his head, standing back. "Master Blackwood instructed me te raise th' cart on my own, an' on my own I shall do so!"

"So, how long are we going to wait until we step in and help?" Calder whispered to Skylar, both of them watching Fargrim walk back to behind the cart.. "He's going to hurt himself if he keeps at it."

"I think he can do it this time," Skylar whispered back. "If not, we probably shouldn't unless you want to risk losing your head to his axe."

"Good point," Calder nodded.

Instead of grabbing at the edge of cart, Fargrim jumped down into the ditch, getting underneath part of the cart. Planting both hands on its underside, the dwarf started to push, grunting. Slowly, the cart started to raise up from the ground, the wheels slightly above the ditch. With another heave, the cart was pushed forward, the mules moving forward in shock. In between pants, the warrior grinned, having succeeded in getting the cart out of the ditch. Zavier stood up, dust himself off quickly, and then grinned, offering a hand to Fargrim. The dwarf took the man's hand, who helped pulled him out of the ditch.

"I did say that you will not find a dwarf stronger than Fargrim," Zavier told the two, patting the fighter on the back. "Get the cart ready. We need to get to Greenest before nightfall and cannot afford and further delays.

"Aye, Master Blackwood," Fargrim saluted, hopping back on the cart.

"You're heading to Greenest?" Skylar asked quickly. "So are we."

"Well, I wish you good luck with that," Zavier told them, hopping back on the cart as well. "If we see you there, please come and talk!"

"Or, you know, you could give us a ride there and we can talk in the cart," Calder suggested.

"I could, but from the looks of it, you both lack coin," Zavier shook his head. "I don't give rides out for free, you see."

"I can offer protection in exchange for transportation," Calder replied. "A fair deal."

"A fair deal if I didn't have Fargrim," Zavier countered. "You'll have to try harder than that, but unfortunately, you don't have the time."

"If you're a slayer of dragons, you're a hero, yes?" Skylar asked.

"Well, of course I am," Zavier bragged, grinning. "No one can be better than he who hails from the legendary Blackwood family."

"Well, if you're a hero, you should be helping people out," Skylar pointed out. "It's not very heroic if you leave us out in the middle of nowhere when you are more than capable of helping us."

"Well, uh, I suppose you have a point," Zavier cast a glance backwards at Fargrim, who also turned his head to face the scene. "Well, very well, hop in. The more on the journey the better."  
"Perhaps ye can tell 'em o' yer last grand dragon hunt?" Fargrim suggested, grabbing onto the reins of the mules. "That's one ye haven't told me."

"Well, I would, but my head hurts from that fall from earlier," Zavier turned back, placing a hand on his head. "It hurts really badly so I'm not sure I can remember all of the details."

"Terribly sorry about that, Master Blackwood," Fargrim apologized, turning back.

"So, we're pretty certain that at the very least, Zavier is trying to trick us?" Calder whispered to Skylar again. "He's lying. I know it."

"I don't think he is," Skylar smiled lightly. "Looks like we may have a dragon slayer on our side."

"You can't be serious," Calder rolled his eyes.

Skylar did not answer, instead hopping into the back of the cart. Calder sighed out before following her, sitting across from his companion. Zavier joined Fargrim at the front, sitting down next to him. The ranger looked at the cart, somewhat surprised to see that they have packed very little, only having the greataxe and miniature harp in the back. With a swing of the reins, the mules started to move forward, dragging the cart behind it. For now, everyone was silent with Skylar closing her eyes while Zavier continued to complain about his headache.

Calder was unsure of if they would be able to count on their newfound allies for the long run. He was confident that Zavier was lying about his heroic deeds for reasons the ranger could not think of. As for Fargrim, he seemed competent enough, but worshipped his companion as the hero he claimed to be. On the bright side, they would arrive at Greenest as the day came to an end. They were one step closer to their quest, although the half-elf was not sure where they would go once they arrived at the town. It would be a bridge they would have to cross when they got there.

* * *

 **A/N: And with this chapter, the party is assembled. Soon enough, we will be entering the first adventure of Tyranny of Dragons.**

 **Until next time.**

 **EDITED: Thank you NicPrice127 for pointing out the missing beginning.**


	4. Welcome to Greenest

Calder laid down on the cart, looking at the night sky, lit up by the stars and moon, with only half of it visible. He was thankful that there was something familiar about this unfamiliar land. He could remember the constellations the elders taught him, and as always, the moon was a welcome sight. It had been a long day for the ranger, so it was nice to have something to look forward to when the day was over. It was very unlikely he would return home anytime soon, so the half-elf had to take joy in the little reminders.

Night had fallen a little less than a hour ago and they have yet to arrive at Greenest. Calder could hear Fargrim and Zavier whisper fiercely to each other, likely in some sort of debate. When the sun set, the dwarf pulled out a map and tried to find out where they are, and his mentor was only getting in the way. Skylar remained seated in the back, eyes close in sleep. Although he was growing tired, the ranger thought it would be best to stay awake. He needed to keep watch to ensure that no trouble comes their way.

"Uh, we have a complication," Zavier announced, not looking back. "You two are going to want to get up."

Skylar yawned as she woke up, turning towards Zavier. Likewise, Calder sat up, pulling himself back up onto his seat. At first, the ranger was certain that the complication was they were lost and needed to make camp without the proper supplies. However, he noticed the brightness coming from the front of the cart and took a sniff. He gagged, recognizing the smoke of an uncontrolled fire. Quickly, the half-elf joined the two at the front, looking astonished upon the burning town that was before them.

Greenest was under siege with columns of black smoke shrouding the night sky above the town. Many of the wooden houses were on fire, screams coming from throughout. Calder was able to make out several dots of figures running through the town, although he was unsure of if they are innocent townsfolk or the aggressors. Through the cloud of smoke, the ranger thought he saw something moving within, but shook his head. He was growing tired enough as it was and was now starting to see things that were not there to begin with.

"Greenest is under attack," Calder muttered slowly.

"We have to help," Skylar told the group. "If we don't help, who knows what'll become of Greenest?"

"We could help, but I don't think we should," Zavier replied, a hint of fear in his voice. "I'd rather not get burnt, you see."

"But you slayed dragons, beasts capable of breathing fire," Calder reminded him with a grin. "Surely, you cannot be afraid of a little wildfire?"

"Master Blackwood isn't afraid, so we shall aid in th' defense o' Greenest!" Fargrim declared, standing up from his seat. "Get me my axe!"

"Rushing in isn't a good idea either," Calder pointed out. "We should come up with a plan while we have the time to think."

"And while we're coming up with a plan, the people of Greenest will suffer," Skylar argued, picking up Fargrim's greataxe. "We can think of a plan on the fly. Until then, we need to head into town."

"Seeing how it isn't safe to bring a cart into a town that's on fire, I elect that I stay here to look after it and coordinate our efforts into town," Zavier quickly volunteered. "Now, no need to thank me.'

"Good thinkin', Master Blackwood!" Fargrim nodded in agreement. "How brave o' ye te elect te guard th' cart by yerself. Any raiders that try te flee will have yer wrath to endure first!"

"My w-wrath?" Zavier repeated, gulping.

"Aye," Fargrim took his axe from Skylar and hopped off the cart. "I look forward te seein' th' enemies that fall before ye, Master Blackwood."

"While you two are coming up with a plan, we'll get the actual job done," Skylar hopped off the cart and followed Fargrim. "We'll see you in the morning when Greenest is safe!"

"I wish you the best of luck, Zavier," Calder climbed over the cart. "Someone's going to need to support them. Seeing as how you're powerful enough to look after the cart, I'd be better off with them."

"Now, hold on a moment," Zavier called out, struggling to get out of the cart. "If you are insistent, I shall come as well. Someone's going to need to keep you alive."

Calder did not bother to wait for Zavier, who quickly ran past him to rejoin the others. The ranger smirked while no one saw him, wishing that someone else saw the man's true colors. Although he caught up with the rest of the group, he elected to stay in the back, pulling out his longbow but not yet nocking an arrow upon it. He wanted to be prepared but decided it would be best not to rely upon his instincts. He could accidentally kill an innocent man simply because he walked around the corner unexpectedly.

The group finally arrived in the town, surrounded by burning houses. The fire was useful in giving them light so they would not be fighting in the darkness of the night. There were dozens of tracks moving in all directions with the only sign of life being the screaming heard throughout Greenest. A man wearing leather armor laid down on the ground in his own blood, clutching a crossbow in one hand. Hesitantly, Skylar walked up to him, taking his crossbow and quiver of bolts. Calder was unsure why someone who could called upon magic relied on a weapon but decided not to question her on it. He had far more important matters to worry about.

Suddenly, without warning, five humans emerged from between two buildings to their left in front of the group. It was quick to tell that they were townsfolk with three of the humans being children. The man limped behind them, badly wounded and possibly bleeding them out. With them was a woman, wielding a round shield and broken spear. Given her lack of a combat stance, Calder could tell she was inexperienced. It was very likely that she only fought because her husband was too injured to continue.

The family ran towards the group, who could see that they were being pursued. Following them were eight small creatures, standing shorter than Fargrim. They wore no armor but had scales of red and green color. In their hands, they wielded tiny daggers, coated in the blood of their enemies. Calder looked on in shock, having never seen such a creature in before. Both Zavier and Skylar stared in awe as well while Fargrim's grip on his axe grew tighter, the dwarf grunting in frustration.

"Kobolds," Fargrim spat on the ground. "Minions of dragons. Show them no mercy for they will give none!"

"Yes, you three do that," Zavier agreed, looking at the family of humans. "I'll, uh, make sure none of them hurt the innocent children, as it is my duty as a hero."

Zavier was the first to move, positioning himself in between the kobolds and the family, but otherwise not taking action against the foe. He pulled out his rapier and pointed it at the kobolds, although it was easy to tell he was nervous. His hand was shaking and his blade could not stay still. Calder was unsure of if he actually knew how to fight, but at the very least, the kobolds would have to take him down before they could go after the family.

Fargrim grinned, holding his greataxe in both hands, and charged in with a roar cry. For a moment, the kobolds looked shock at the sight of an adventurer rushing into battle, most of them taking a few steps back. The leader of the pack stood his ground, holding his flimsy dagger out to defend himself. The dwarf raised his weapon high in the air and then slammed the blade down upon the kobold, nearly cleaving his foe in half. The pack was clearly afraid but did not back away.

Calder nocked an arrow on his bow while Skylar fired the already loaded crossbow at one of the kobolds. The shot went wide and the bolt vanished within the flames of a burning house. The ranger took careful aim, confident that he would hit, and let the arrow fly free. It shot through the skull of a kobold, who fell down onto the ground, death instantly claiming him.

The remaining charged forward, as if they intended to swarm over their prey. Two fought against Fargrim, who managed to dodge the first dagger but the second one sunk into his side, tearing into it and drawing a lot of blood. The dwarf grunted, injured but still ready to keep up the fight. The remaining kobolds split up, taking different targets. Two of them charged towards Zavier, who looked as if he wanted to shout in fear, while the remaining ones went after Calder and Skylar. The ranger holstered his longbow, pulling out one of his short swords in preparation for the ensuing melee.

Calder charged as the kobolds did, intending to take them down in combat. Although he preferred fighting with a bow, he understood that Skylar lacked the physical training he had and needed to be protected. Nearing the kobolds, he dashed to the side and swung his blade at the kobold. It cut through the scales and ended the poor creature's life. The ranger pivoted to face the second kobold but saw that he was not needed. With blue flames flickering around her head, Skylar had grabbed the remaining kobold, sparks of lightning coming from her hands. When she let go, their enemy fell down face forward, twitching.

"So, you can use magic to fight," Calder commented, sheathing his short sword.

"I can, but that's my only offensive spell," Skylar replied. "It requires contact with the target, so I can't rely on it too much."

Calder nodded, taking a moment to analyze the battle. He turned towards Zavier and the family first with the belief that the former had fled and left the latter exposed to attack. Instead, Zavier was holding out against his foes. One kobold laid in the ground in a pool of his own blood with his companion trying to attack his foe. The man managed to dodge the incoming knife and jabbed his rapier at his enemy, piercing into his chest. He sighed as the kobold fell to the ground, looking to be relieved.

Upon hearing a scream of pain coming from Fargrim, Calder instinctively pulled out his longbow once more, pivoting around to his direction. The dwarf had been injured once more, having received another cut to his shoulder. He grunted, trying to shrug off the pain, but was bleeding badly. He swung his greataxe towards one of his attackers, the blade cutting through the creature halfway. The warrior was panting, his injuries starting to strain on his performance.

Calder quickly took aim at the single kobold while Skylar loaded her crossbow with another bolt. They fired at the same time, but in their eagerness, both shots missed and disappeared into town. The ranger frowned, wishing he had more time to aim properly. In his defense, it was a hard shot to make if he wanted to make sure he did not hit Fargrim by mistake. The surviving kobold, oblivious to his surroundings, took advantage of his opponent's weakness and jabbed his dagger into his exposed chest. Miraculously, the warrior remained standing and spat in the face of the kobold in defiance.

While Calder reached for another arrow, Zavier ran past him and Skylar, rapier in hand. Yet, instead of trying to attack the kobold, he touched Fargrim's shoulder, his lips muttering a whisper. The wounds on the dwarf's shoulder started to close, the spell healing him and bringing him back to strength. The warrior grinned, and without hesitation, swung his greataxe at the kobold's neck, sending his foe's head flying into the air.

"An' that's th' last o' 'em," Fargrim called out. "Thanks fer th' backup, Master Blackwood, an' fer not gittin' in th' way. Another one o' yer lessons, aye?"

"Of course," Zavier nodded. "What are kobolds of all creatures doing here?"

"Raiders, I think, but I'm not sure," the woman spoke, cautiously approaching the grow with her family falling behind. "Thank you for saving me and my family. My name is Linan."

"Can't be regular raiders," Fargrim told them. "Kobolds are minions te dragons, so unless-"

"There's a dragon," the injured man interrupted, coughing. "It's not taking part in the fighting, but it's here, somewhere."

"Well, that dragon is as good as dead," Fargrim spat on the ground.

"Our priority should be getting Linan and her family to safety," Calder brought up. "We can go after the dragon later, if you really wish."

"Is there anywhere safe in Greenest that we can go to?" Skylar asked, looking at Linan.

"There's the keep," Linan answered. "We're already on our way there. If you could protect us, that'd be welcomed."

"Fargrim, take point with Linan," Zavier commanded. "If you see another group, I want the two of you to lead us somewhere else."

"If ye insist," Fargrim grunted. "Guess it is best te get th' family te safety."

"The rest of us will cover the rear then," Skylar continued with the planning. "The formation isn't perfect, but it'll make do."

"Let's be off to the keep then," Calder told the group.

With Linan acting as their guide, the group proceeded through the burning town. For the most part, they were able to avoid groups of raiders, sticking to the alleyways to avoid confrontation. Through the flaming rubble, Calder was able to make out some of the raiders. The kobolds continued with their pillaging with the ranger spotting one with wings every few minutes. Now, they were accompanied by humans who wore dark clothing to blend in with the night. From what he could tell, they were not in uniform at all, but they had to be some sort of organization. They were working with a dragon in this raid, so perhaps they are members of the Cult of the Dragon.

As the group pressed on, more townsfolk joined Linan's family in the center of the formation. Four quickly exceeded a dozen as they came closer to the keep. No one was going to turn them away but Calder had to admit that their growing numbers was not so fortunate. With this mass of people, it would only be a matter of time until the raiders saw them and attacked. The townsfolk could panic during the ensuing battle, splitting the group or causing his companions to look after them. Hopefully, it would not come down to that.

The group broke from the cover of the ruined town and proceeded uphill, the stone keep standing in defiance at the massacre happening around it. The wooden gates were opened with townsfolk streaming in. Thankfully, there were no raiders attacking the keep, but if the doors closed, they would have nowhere to hide. Calder stopped in his tracks, taking a moment to let the townsfolk get a headstart while looking around. The attackers were starting to surround the keep and the ranger took notice of the largest group of raiders approaching him, Zavier, and Skylar. Four humans brandishing scimitars and six kobolds, one of which was flying. The townsfolk and Fargrim went unseen, storming into the keep.

"Oi, why are you three just standing there?!" one of the human raiders called out to them. "It's free pickings inside the keep if you can get there before the gates are barred."

"I think we can run and make it," Skylar whispered to the two. "It'll be close but we can do it."

"Not without letting that large group follow us inside," Calder whispered back. "You run, Zavier and I will try to sl-"

"A group of armed men ambushed us back in town and killed all of our kobolds!" Zavier shouted out to the raiders. "They may try to flank us from behind! With your numbers, you can surely put a stop to their efforts."

"Well, we can't have them kill more of these little bastards," the raider replied back, chuckling. "We'll finish the job for you three. Happy hunting!"

"Did that really work?" Skylar asked, astonished as the large group of raiders ran towards the burning town."

"Worked a lot better than Calder's crazy plan," Zavier grinned. "Come on, the gate's are closing!"

Zavier spoke the truth as one half of the wooden gate had closed while they were busy. The other half remain opened despite there being no more villagers in vicinity and more hostile attackers surrounding the keep. The trio rushed off towards their final hope of sanctuary in the burning town. As he neared the gates, Calder could make out the sound of commotion breaking out inside. He cursed under his breath, hoping that none of the raiders managed to get in.

They entered the keep and saw that although no raiders had infiltrated it. Rather, the group of townsfolk they saved stood between the gate and a group of armed guards, pushing them back. At the center of the protest, Fargrim shouted out in a language Calder was unfamiliar with, most likely his native tongue. The dwarf turned his head when the trio entered, grinning at them while waving his axe. One by one, the villagers took notice and stepped aside, allowing the guards to slam shut the gates shut. Fargrim walked up to his companions, followed by an armed soldier.

"This is them?" the guard asked, looking at the group. "The dragon slayer and his companions who saved over a dozen people and escorted them to safety?"

"Aye," Fargrim nodded in confirmation. "Th' others can vouch fer 'em."

"That won't be necessary," the guard said, walking off. "Come along now, Governor Nighthill is going to want to speak with you."

"Well, so much for a quick break," Zavier yawned out. "Everyone, welcome to Greenrest."

* * *

 **A/N: And so, the adventure itself finally starts.**

 **Isada: That it is. Perhaps more will end up joining it. You'll just have to read on and see.**

 **Yimiki: Yeah, I just hate it when a good story ends without ending. Glad to hear that you like the story and hope you keep on reading.**

 **Until next time.**


	5. Rats and Kobolds

The guard led the group up a series of stairs, taking them out to the parapet of the keep. Looking down at his surroundings, Calder was not shocked to see the state of Greenest. The town continued to burn as the majority of the raiders circled the keep, battering against the stone walls. To their back ranks were reinforcements, who stayed out of the fight and kept an eye on the keep. There was no retreat for anyone inside, but on the bright side, the raiders were not going to get in anytime soon. While they were efficient at pillaging, a siege was a task beyond their capabilities.

Guards lined the walls, wielding crossbows just like the one Skylar looted off the fallen soldier. They did not fire but paid close attention to both the raiders and the skies above. If there was a dragon on the loose, they were going to want to save their bolts to take it down, if such a task would be accomplished. The elders of Calder's tribe spoke of the ferocity of the beast and told that any hunter that set out to kill one was never seen from again.

Pacing behind the ranks of soldiers was a man and a dwarf speaking with one another. The man was long past his prime with a wrinkled and saggy face as well as gray hair. From the looks of it, the initial raid did a number on him. Half of his face was covered in bandages and his right arm was slung up in a sling. Calder took notice of red stains upon his blue tunic, most likely his own blood. The ranger had to applaud the man for his duty. Even injured, he continues to look out for his people.

While the man appeared to be a civilian leader, the dwarf was most likely in charge of the guards. He was similar in size to Fargrim but wore silver armor to hide his muscles. The metal was tarnished in stained blood but it was that of a fallen enemy that met his blade, which was sheathed on his belt along with a ring with dozens of keys. He had bright red that was a tangled mess, but given the circumstances, was the least of his worries. The duo approached the adventurers cautiously, eyeing them up and down to see what they were capable of.

"Governor Nighthill, these brave heroes are to thank for the last group of civilians to get into the keep," the guard reported to the man. "The dwarf claims that this man is a slayer of dragons."

"He looks tee scrawny te be a slayer o' dragons," the armored dwarf pointed out.

"That doesn't matter, Escobert" Governor Nighthill shrugged. "It's good to have aid in these times, regardless of whether their claims are true. Tell me your names, please."

"I am Zavier Blackwood, and despite your friend's doubts, I am the hero my student, Fargrim Torun, makes me out to be," Zavier introduced, grinning. "The other two were hitchhikers we picked up on the way here."

"I'm Skylar Godwin," she bowed before the governor.

"Calder Notley," he nodded simply.

"Well, it's good to have you with us," Governor Nighthill told them. "I'm Governor Nighthill and this is Escobert the Red, the castilian of this keep. I understand that you may want some rest, but we would appreciate any help that you could give us at this dark hour."

"Well, surely, it could wait for a few hours," Zavier suggested, yawning. "Saving lives is tiring, you know."

"We'll do it," Calder told the governor. "What is it you need our help for?"

"No one's gittin' in this keep, raiders and townsfolk alike," Escobert started his explanation. "Unfortunately, there are still several dozen townsfolk out there, fendin' fer 'emselves. If we're goin' te help 'em, we need te secure th' ol' tunnel down in th' cellar o' th' keep. Never saw much use until now, so it may be swarmin' with rats, an' there may be cultists waitin' outside."

"Surely, you could spare a guard or two to deal with a pack of rats," Zavier advised. "Such a task is surely beneath me."

"In packs, rats can be pretty dangerous," Skylar pointed out. "Calder and I will take care of it. That's not beneath us, right?"

"Indeed," Calder nodded in agreement.

"An' I'm goin' as well," Fargrim joined in. "Not like I can git any sleep right now. Tee restless, ye know. We could use yer help, Master Blackwood."

"Well, I guess if you insist, I suppose I shall lend you my expertise," Zavier sighed out. "Shall we be off then?"

"Yer goin' te need these," Escobert unhooked two rings from the ring and tossed them at Zavier, who caught them after fumbling a little. "Th' silver one is fer th' cellar entrance. Th' bronze one is fer th' river side. Good luck, lads an' lass."

"And if the opportunity does arise, try to take a prisoner," Governor Nighthill requested. "The more we know about our enemy, the better."

"We'll do our best," Calder replied.

"I can show them to the cellar," the guard announced. "With me. It's down on the bottom level."

The group followed the soldier once more, heading downstairs through multiple flights of stairs. Zavier continued to yawn out loudly and Calder was starting to realize how just how exhausted he was. They spent most of the day traveling, fought against kobolds, and snuck around a burning town. Hopefully, once they were done securing the escape tunnel, they would be given time to rest. Still, their duty came first, meaning that they had to ensure that the Governor's request was met.

Eventually, they arrived at the cellar, which had been mostly stripped down as the battle worn down. There were only a single stack of crates by the corner of the room. The torches mounted to the wall remain lit, with Zavier taking one off its post and holding it in one hand. There was a single door on the other side of the wall, locked tightly. Yet, with the key given to them by Escobert, Zavier opened the door, revealing a dark tunnel small enough for a group to walk into single file.

Fargrim took point, brandishing his greataxe in both hands. Zavier followed suit, pulling out his rapier with his free hand while holding the torch out with the other. Calder nodded at Skylar, who entered in next. The ranger followed her in, deciding it would be best to cover them. If something tried sneaking up on them, he would be able to protect them.

The walk through the tunnel was uneventful up until they reached the end. A metal grate, also locked, waited for them. However, multiple nests were constructed in front of the grate, housing multiple dark-furred pests. Calder could make out a few dozen of the vermin, who looked at the group in anticipation. For the most part, they seemed harmless, but they have yet to disturb their home. If they were going to use the escape tunnel at all, the rats had to be cleared out.

"We should come up with a plan to get rid of them without putting ourselves at risk," Skylar suggested through a hushed whisper. "Zavier, do you have a sp-"

Fargrim let out a wild war cry, interrupting Skylar as he ran forward, cleaving his greataxe down on one of the nests. The rats squealed in terror and started to scatter. Zavier quickly rushed forward to join his friend, jabbing his rapier at multiple rats running by his feet. Skylar reached for her crossbow, panicking as she shot one of the rats that ran by them. Calder sighed out, pulling out his longbow and likewise shooting down a rat with an arrow. For the most part, the rats seemed terrorized and willing to retreat from a deadly fight, rushing past their feet

Despite the sudden attack and death of their kin, some of the rats pressed the attack. Fargrim grunted as multiple rats started to swarm onto him, clutching onto his exposed skin with ease. Calder nocked another arrow onto his bow and Skylar loaded another crossbolt, but neither of them fired. The ranger was too hesitant about accidentally injuring his friend. Yet, the fighter did not care for the attack, swinging his greataxe to carefully pick off a few rats clinging onto him. Likewise, Zavier joined in, jabbing his rapier skillfully to kill the remaining rats.

"And that's the last of them!" Zavier announced with a grin.

"Fargrim, are you alright?" Skylar asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

"They didn't even drew blood," Fargrim told her with a cackle. "Zavier, hand me that key. I'll git this grate open in just a moment."

"A bunch of rats bit you, but you're not bleeding?" Calder questioned, doubt clear in his voice.

"It takes more than vermin to hurt Fargrim," Zavier told him, handing the key to the dwarf. "Nothing can stop us, isn't that right, my dear friend?"

"Aye, that ye are," Fargrim nodded in agreement, unlocking the grate and opening it. "An' we're not out o' th' woods yet. Raiders comin' by but I don't think they noticed us."

"How many?" Calder quickly asked, now alert.

"A couple of kobolds, two humans," Fargrim reported, climbing out of the tunnel. "Looks like Nighthill is goin' te git that prisoner he wants."

"Couldn't we just close and lock the grate?" Zavier pointed out, not moving. "We cleared out the tunnel. Our job is done."

"Well, I suppose we could go back and get some sleep," Skylar nodded in agreement. "Although, if those raiders manage to find the tunnel, there's nothing to stop them from killing us in our sleep."

Zavier opened his mouth as if he was going to argue but only let out a disappointed sigh, climbing out of the grate. Skylar giggled quietly to herself and followed him outside. Calder was the last to leave the tunnel, taking in the sight of the patrol, consisting of six kobolds and two raiders. They were likely on the lookout for any townsfolk trying to flee and were nearing the secret tunnel closer with each step, oblivious to the armed band. With the element of surprise on their surprise, eliminating the threat should be easy enough.

When one kobold got close enough, Fargrim struck, swinging his greataxe to end the creature's life with ease while alerting the raiders to their presence. Calder and Skylar unleashed their attacks on the kobolds as well. The arrow from the ranger's bow struck true at the head, ending its life. The bolt from the crossbow struck a third kobold in the chest, who barely held onto life. It growled, holding onto its dagger weakly as it advanced on the group.

"You're a fool if you think you can still fight us," Zavier insulted, mocking the surviving kobold.

Calder was prepared to tell Zavier to stop taunting their foes and actually fight. Yet, the injured kobold clutched its head, growling in pain, and collapsed onto the ground, unmoving. The ranger took a quick glance back at his companion, staring in disbelief at the feat. The man winked back before dropping his jaw, eyes wide open in horror. The half-elf turned back to the battle, seeing that the kobolds had surrounded Fargrim with each striking him, acting as a team. The fighter let out a curse before collapsing onto his side, bleeding from multiple cut wounds.

"Fargrim!" Zavier called out in terror.

Calder dropped his longbow with the raiders starting to advance on the trio and pulled out his shortsword. One of the raiders moved to strike at him with a curved blade. The ranger was able to block it easily enough with his own blade, yet that left him exposed to the second raider's attack. A searing pain shot through him as a second scimitar slashed across his gut, blood starting to pour from the gash. In retaliation, the half-elf struck at the raider, slashing his shortsword down on his arm.

Skylar stood behind her companion and let loose her crossbow, nailing one of the kobolds in the neck. The remaining two growled, leaving Fargrim as they joined their commanders in dealing with the survivors. Calder was glad that they were not moving to injure the dwarf any further, but he was certain he could not fend off four attackers at once while keeping his friends safe. He heard Zavier chant behind him as he made hand motions, pointing outward. Suddenly, raider and kobold likely collapsed on the ground. For a moment, the ranger thought they were dead, but then heard a snore escape the mouth of one of the raiders.

"They're sleeping?" Skylar asked in surprise.

"That's not important," Zavier told them, pushing past them. "Come on! Fargrim might live!"

Calder and Skylar rushed with him over to Fargrim, who laid on the ground in a growing pool of his blood. Thankfully, his chest was heaving slightly, showing that he was alive. The ranger held both of his hands down on one of the more serious cuts inflicted on the dwarf, trying to apply pressure to minimize blood loss. The others followed suit with other wounds, holding them down. Yet, the fighter continued to bleed with each passing second.

"What are you waiting for?" Calder asked, glancing at Zavier. "Heal him!"

"Sleep was my final spell for the day," Zavier revealed, sighing.

"You can only cast two, maybe three spells a day?" Skylar glared at him.

"It's complicated!" Zavier tried to defend himself. "Can't you two do anything?!"

"None of my magic revolves around healing," Skylar told him.

"I know no magic, but I think I have a plan," Calder replied. "Zavier, we're going to need that torch of yours,"

"Uh, I may have dropped it," Zavier said, looking back at the grate. "Ayep. It's out now."

"Well, so much for cauterizing the wounds," Calder shook his head. "We can try to rush him over for medical aid, but I think he'll bleed out, and none of us are carrying any cloth to bandage him up with."

"Is there anything else we can do?" Skylar asked, her and Zavier tearing up.

"Ye can start by gittin' yer hands off o' me chest," Fargrim groaned, raising his head up. "Yer hurtin' me more than ye are helpin."

"You bloody bastard!" Zavier shouted out in surprise, helping Fargrim up. "Come on! He can make it."

"Someone tell me if we won th' battle," Fargrim told them, grabbing his greataxe to use as support.

"They're all asleep," Calder told them, pointing at the injured cultist. "We'll take that one alive. You may execute the rest of them if you have the strength for it."

Fargrim grimly nodded, limping towards the injured kobolds. While it may not be ethical to murder their foes in such a way, they had no choice. Their main fighter was too injured to fight any longer and they did not have the time to take them all as prisoners. It had to be done to ensure the tunnel's existence was not revealed. Calder pulled out another arrow from his quilver, nocking it on his bow as he slammed his boot down on the injured raider's chest. He woke up, the first thing he seeing was the metal tip of an arrow pointed at his forehead.

"You're coming with us," Calder told him as Fargrim executed the first kobold. "You will tell us everything you know."

"You may force me to come, but my lips are sealed," the raider told him with a growl. "I'm not talking."

"But you're beaten," Skylar pointed out while Fargrim executed the final kobold. "There's not much else you can do."

"Not how it works, girl," the raider told her. "I'm beaten, but I remain loyal to my cause!"

"Now, I don't know if you know who I am, but I am a legend," Zavier started with his boasting, Fargrim limping over to the remaining cultist. "I am Zavier Blackwood, he who slays dragons with a flick of his wrist. You shall tell me what we ask of you or I shall unleash my righteous wrath upon your pitiful self."

"Is this guy serious?" the raider chuckled loudly. "He who slays dragons my ass. You may as well kill me, you know. I'm not talking."

"If yer goin' te interrogate someone, do it right," Fargrim told the group, annoyed. "Force him te look this way an' keep his eyes open."

Zavier nodded, kneeling down by the raider and grabbing at his head. The raider tried to resist by moving his head the other way, but in the end, his head was flat on its side, the man's fingers keeping his eyelids open. Fargrim took a final glance at the scene as he raised his greataxe high into the sky. The dwarf swung it down, decapitating the sleeping raider right before their prisoner's eye. To top it all off, the fighter looked at the surviving raider in his eyes and gave a bloodthirsty grin before heading back into the tunnel.

"I'll talk," the raider announced, his eyes still looking on in horror. "Just keep that mad dwarf away from me, and I'll tell you all that I know!"

* * *

 **A/N: The day comes to a close as our band of heroes continues to aid Greenest in its time of need.**

 **Isada: It is only going to get more exciting from here, I assure you.**

 **Boggie445: It is definitely possible. I already have ideas for possible romantic subplots in mind, and yes, NPCs are involved. For some of the NPCs, I plan on expanding on them and giving them bigger roles. Some of them may even become members of the party! We'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.**

 **Until next time.**


	6. Sergeant Markguth

_You have done well, my son. I had hoped to arrive at Greenest before the siege, but already, you and your new friends have proven yourself to be quite the team. Yet, this is only the start of a greater threat. To that end, I shall unlock the power that rested within you, the power that was passed down from me. Use it well._

"They've broken through the sally port!" the voice of Escobert the Red echoed throughout the keep. "To arms! Someone cut off their reinforcements at the sally port!"

Calder snapped his eyes open at the sound of the call for action. Immediately, he shot up from his bedroll, fortunate enough to have rested in his leather armor. He reached for his longbow and quiver, and rushed down the hallway. The ranger was glad to have had some rest before the raiders attacked. He was fully rested and ready for the battles held today.

While running through the halls, he saw the militia and guard facing off against the raiders, holding their own. Yet, if the sally port was taken and not fixed, the raiders would eventually overwhelm the defenders. Calder was soon joined by his companions as he neared the sally port. Fargrim quickly outpaced him, surprisingly not hindered by his sustained injuries the night before, with Skylar by his side, loading her crossbow. Zavier was right behind the trio, trying to slip into his leather army while keeping up with the others.

Fargrim kicked open that door, revealing the broken sally port, the metal bars twisted and bent. Sunlight illuminated the room, revealing four kobolds, a single raider, and a strange beast. It was on four legs with thick, brown scales and sharp claws. In the corner of the room was a young guard with bright red hair and goatee with fairfair skin. He wore heavy, silver armor with a sword and shield sheathed behind his back. He messed with his loaded crossbow as the raiders advanced, his green eyes showing fear.

Calder was the first to act, an arrow in hand that he quickly fired to strike a kobold in the chest, ending its life. While Fargrim made his way towards the strange creature and Skylar took aim, Zavier sprinted past them, positioning himself between the kobolds and the guards. The ranger saw his lips move with a silent whisper, his arms held over his chest. He brought his fists forward, which was followed by a large boom of thunder. Lightning blasted out towards the raiders, with the kobolds and raider collapsing, only twitching. The monster lived, yet was pinned down by a strike from Fargrim's greataxe. It screeched out in pain before it was silenced by Skylar, who shot the beast straight in the throat.

"Good work," Zavier grinned, looking at the fallen enemies. "They didn't even know what hit them."

"Are you alright?" Skylar rushed over to the guard.

"Aye, I am," the guard spoke, holstering his crossbow. "They couldn't get through my armor. Wait, you're the dragonslayer and his companions! No wonder you were able to bring down that beast!"

"Not a dragon," Fargrim spat on the fallen beast. "Ambush drake, clear as day."

"Regardless, it is draconic in nature," Zavier told him. "I am Zavier Blackwood, and with me is my student, Fargrim, and my companions, Calder and Skylar."

"Sergeant Robert Markguth," the soldier saluted.

"Sergeant?" Calder raised his eyebrow at the man.

"A low ranking commander," Skylar informed him.

"Yer a sergeant?" Fargrim questioned. "Are ye even trained? Ye looked afraid."

"Well, I was recently promoted to my position, as in, last night," Robert told them.

"Promoted from what?" Calder asked.

"Well, uh, I wasn't even part of the guard until yesterday," Robert shrugged slowly. "I'm not experienced, but that's not why I was afraid. My crossbow jammed and-"

"More are coming," Calder announced, hearing the marching. "How fast can we get the sally port fixed?"

"I think I have a spell to fix it," Skylar looked towards the sally port. "I'll need a few minutes, and I cannot be bothered during that time

"Work on getting the sally port repaired," Calder commanded, looking at Fargrim and Zavier. "The three of us will hold the line."

"Aye," Fargrim grinned.

"Is it too late to send for reinforcements?" Zavier asked, trying his best to hide his nervousness. "Where are the guards?"

"Right here," Robert unsheathed his sword and shield. "I look forward to fighting with the slayer of dragons!"

"Your aid is more than welcomed, Sergeant Markguth," Calder nodded. "Let us be off then."

Stepping through the sally port was easy enough with the four defenders finding themselves on an open grass field outside of the stronghold. Just as Calder predicted, more of the raiders were coming. Four kobolds and four men, with three of them wielding scimitars and one wielding a sword and shield. They stood side-by-side while the raiders grew closer. They were outnumbered, but at least half of their force have proven their worth time again.

 _Hunter's Mark_

For a moment, Calder realized he had lost control of his body. His hand stretched out towards the raider with the shield, two fingers pointed out towards him. Afterwards, his body was his to control once more. For some reason, he realized that he was more focused on the raider he just pointed at. He shook his head, not having the time to question it. While Fargrim and Robert charged charged forward, the ranger pulled an arrow from his quiver and fired at the raider he just pointed at. Despite his belief that it would hit, it soared past his head and onto the ground behind him.

The raiders and kobolds were quick to surround and face off against Robert and Fargrim respectively. The soldier was focused on the guard with the shield, swinging his sword down against his shield. The raider in turn slashed at the sergeant, but his sword only bounced off of his sturdy armor. The remaining fighters tried to attack the man while he was distracted in his duel, but his armor held out against the onslaught of attacks.

Fargrim was not as fortunate when the kobolds surrounded him. He was able to dodge two of their dagger thrusts, but the remaining two kobolds managed to score a hit at his shoulder and side. The dwarf let out a wild roar, and Calder quickly realized that it was not one of pain, but of anger. One of the kobolds that injured him took a step back after hearing the roar, with the warrior turning his glare towards it. Without hesitation, he brought his greataxe down upon the kobold, leaving behind only a pile of his bloody remains.

"We're about to see Fargrim's rage up close," Zavier smiled, standing in front of the sally port. "I have only seen it a few times myself, but when he becomes enraged, he is stronger and less likely to feel pain."

"Shouldn't you join him in battle?" Calder asked, pulling out another arrow.

"We need someone to be our final line of defense for the sally port," Zavier told him.

Calder sighed, knocking his arrow upon his bow and pulling it back to aim at the shielded warrior once more. Knowing that it would be a tough shot to make with Robert in the way, the ranger ran to the sides, giving him a more clearer view. He took the shot, but the raider was able to deflect the arrow with his shield. In doing so only left him vulnerable for Robert, who slashed his sword across his exposed arm and drawing blood. The soldier then defended himself from the remaining three cultists, using his sword to block one attack, his shield to stop another, and his armor blocking the final one.

Another kobold fell to Fargrim's greataxe, the remaining two looking fearful at the superior combatant. Calder turned back to the battle, once more taking up an arrow and taking aim at the lead raider. The four raiders were attacking Robert at once, still failing to get past his impressive defenses. The half-elf took a deep breath in as he took aim, and let loose the arrow. He cursed when the raider moved forward, bringing his sword upon the sergeant's blade, causing the arrow to miss. At this rate, he was as useful as Zavier was.

"Zavier, do something already!" Calder called out

"Fine," Zavier sighed. "Fargrim, keep up the great work! You'll make for a great dragon slayer!"

"Do something helpful!" Calder corrected himself.

"You'll be surprised at how encouraging my words can be."

Once more, Calder found himself sighing at Zavier, taking aim at the guard once more. Robert let out a scream of pain with one of the raiders slashing his scimitar across his bare face, but otherwise was able to defend himself from the rest of the attacks. The raider with the shield was the most experienced of the group, and if he did not go down, the sergeant would be overwhelmed. He took a deep breath once more, calculating where the arrow would fly. He closed his eyes, and let loose.

When Calder opened his eyes, he grinned, seeing the raider collapse onto the ground with a wooden shaft through his skull. Instinctively, he pointed with two fingers towards another raider, declaring him to be his new target. The remaining attackers were shocked to see one of their own go down, leading to Robert slashing his longsword across one of their chests, taking advantage of their surprise. Zavier finally joined in on the battle, running behind one of the kobolds to impale him upon his rapier. Fargrim, blooded but determined, swung his greataxe to decapitate the final kobold. The tides of battle were turning to their favor.

It was more easier to strike at the raider Calder targeted, his arrow striking his shoulder. Robert impaled his sword upon his newfound target, ending his life. The remaining two attackers pressed on, yet found no weak spot in the soldier's armor. Zavier and Fargrim joined in on the fray, with the former striking down the injured cultist with his rapier while the latter jumped up and slammed his greataxe into the remaining raider, putting an end to the fight.

"Good work, everyone," Zavier encouraged. "The battle is won."

"Aye," Fargrim panted, leaning on his greataxe tiredly. "I think I sprained my shoulder with that last strike."

"You held yourself well, Sergeant Markguth," Calder complemented. "You proved yourself as a capable fighter today."

"I didn't do anything too impressive," Robert rubbed the back of his head. "I just have really thick armor to keep me safe, that's it."

"Enough chit chat," Zavier sheathed his rapier. "Let's head back inside the keep."

The group of defenders made their way back into the sally gate, which was partially repaired thanks to Skylar. They climbed in while she held onto the bars, concentrating with blue flames flickering. The metal bent and slowly closed while she continued her work. Other guards had swarmed into the room, with the familiar face of Escobert soon greeting them. The sorceress finished repairing the sally port, and joined her comrades quickly.

"Ye did good work, all o' ye," Escobert told them with a grin. "Th' remainin' raiders inside have been driven off. We're safe fer th' moment. If it doesn't hinder ye at all, Governor Nighthill has another task te ask o' ye."

"What has he asked us to do?" Calder asked.

"A good amount o' citizens are trapped in th' church, an' the raiders are just about ready te break in," Escobert informed the group. "If ye can git th' chance te evacuate th' group, that'll be great fer Greenest."

"It'll be done," Calder nodded. "Fargrim, do you need to rest at all? You took plenty of attacks during that fight."

"I'll hold myself just fine, lad," Fargrim shook his head. "Let's git goin'."

"Sir, permission to accompany the adventurers to the church?" Robert asked dutifully. "They will need someone to lead them there."

"Permission granted, Sergeant," Escobert nodded. "Go swiftly. If ye wait any longer, th' people will be long dead."

* * *

 **A/N: I wasn't sure how I was going to explain Calder's spells once he leveled up. I hope this is a decent enough explanation.**

 **Until next time.**


	7. Showdown in the Sanctuary

With how chaotic the town was, sneaking around was easily enough. After going through the tunnel in the fortress, the group of five made their way into Greenest. The fires had died out, and many buildings have collapsed. Yet, the raiders were distracted with destroying and looting the remaining buildings, allowing the group to move through the ruins unhindered. Robert, the native to the town, took point, with Fargrim right behind him. Zavier nestled himself between his dwarf with Skylar right behind him. Calder covered the rear, witnessing the aftermath of the destruction.

Calder was disgusted with the actions of the raiders. Such destruction and death all in the pursuit of wealth incurred the hunter's anger. He would see that all responsible for this attack paid for their sins. However, he reminded himself that there was more at stake than looting. His father wanted him to come to Greenest for a reason: to face the Cult of the Dragon. Perhaps it was possible that these raiders were aligned with the cult in someway. Only time would tell if that was the case.

At the rubble of one house, the group could see the church up ahead. A large group of raiders were trying to break down the front door. A few humans held onto a makeshift battering ram while the kobolds stood guard. A larger group of raiders, both humans and raiders, were circling around the group, acting as a patrol. An attack on the front gates of the church was out of question. Yet, while Robert was digging through the rubble to reveal a fallen soldier, Calder looked toward the skies, where smoke rose from behind the church.

"Poor York," Robert muttered. "He was a veteran of the guard. The raiders took him down before he could join the fray."

"At least his gear is intact," Fargrim commented, pulling a holster of javelins free. "He won't be needin' these, an' we'll be sure te bury him once th' attack is over."

"I know that we're supposed to be helping, but look at what we're dealing with," Zavier motioned at the number of raiders. "We should send for reinforcements."

"And by the time they arrive, it could be too late," Skylar argued. "We have to do something now."

"Robert, is there a back door to the church?" Calder quickly asked.

"Uh, I think so," Robert scratched the back of his head. "I'm not much of a man of faith myself, but I'm pretty sure there is."

"The raiders are also trying to break in through the back," Calder informed the group. "They're trying to burn their way through."

"Th' church looks more sturdy than most buildings in this town," Fargrim nodded, slinging the holster over his back. "They're goin' te be there fer a lon' time."

"There's probably not a lot of men back there," Skylar predicted.

"Stabbing them in the back, huh?" Zavier took a moment to think. "Might just work well enough for us."

"Lead the way, Robert," Calder instructed.

Robert nodded in response, and led the group. To be safe, they left in a wide span, walking in the same direction as the patrol circling the building. Once more, the raiders did not spot them, allowing them to slowly circle around to the back of the church. There was a cloud of thick smoke gathered around the wall, with Calder able to make out the silhouettes of raider and kobold alike. It was a small force, two humans and six kobolds. The ranger, along with his companions pulled out their ranged weaponry. Only Zavier remained armed with his rapier, a grin across his lips.

"Looks like we caught you with your trousers down!" Zavier taunted.

Calder was still unsure on why the bard gave away their position, although he did see one of the humans clutch his head, as if he was in pain. Calder was quick to follow on the attack, shooting down a kobold with ease. Fargrim, putting the javelins to good use, impaled a kobold by throwing one of his newfound weapons. Blue flames surrounded around Skylar's head as she chanted, unleashing three purple bolts of magic upon the other raider, who collapsed and remained motionless. Robert fired with his crossbow, but a thud signified it hit the wall.

The kobolds started to make their way out of the smoke, followed by the remaining raider. Zavier was quick to intercept them, cutting one down with his rapier. Calder shot down another kobold while Fargrim pulled out his greataxe, slamming it down against a charging kobold. Skylar lunged forward, grabbing the kobold with her hands, which crackled with electricity. The kobold squealed, but lived, lunging its dagger into her exposed gut. The sorceress screeched out in pain, and backed away from the monster.

Calder instinctively dropped his bow while pulling his shortsword free. He dashed forward, and without hesitation, cutdown the remaining kobold with one, clean shot. Skylar grasped onto her wound in pain, but offered a ranger a weak smile. He turned to face the remaining raider, who was in battle with Robert and Zavier. The soldier landed a clean blow, and raised his shield to block an incoming scimitar. Afterwards, Zavier finished off the defending man with a swift jab of his rapier towards his throat, slashing it out.

"The battle's over," Calder sighed in relief, glancing towards Skylar. "Are you alright? Do you need healing?"

"I'll live," Skylar tried to assure him, standing back up. "Let's be off now."

"Is anyone in there?" Robert slammed his fist on the partially burnt door loudly. "The raiders are dead!"

"Perhaps a more smoothing voice is needed to convince them," Zavier offered while Calder picked up his longbow.

"Or an axe?" Fargrim grinned, pulling his javelin free from the fallen kobold.

"I think I heard something on the other side," Robert informed everyone, followed by another slam. "Brother Falconmoon! Open up!"

"Just a moment, Robert!" a voice called out. "I need to clear out the barricades!"

There was shuffling at the door for a few good moments while the party gathered by the entrance. Calder kept his guard up in case the patrol showed up, not knowing how they would fare in battle against such a large force. Finally, the door opened, revealing Brother Falconmoon, a slim half elf with brown hair and white robes. He ushered the group in, gripping hands with Robert as a show of greeting. The two whispered to each other as they made their way inside.

In the sanctuary, around three dozen citizens were gathered around. Families were together, holding each other close, with some individuals on their knees in prayer. A few individuals were terrified, some pacing around and some laying on the many benches. The front gates were barred shut, but the raiders continued battering against them. It was only a matter of time until they broke through. Robert frowned when Brother Falconmoon turned to face the gathered adventurers.

"We need to leave, Brother Falconmoon," Calder told him.

"I know," Brother Falconmoon sighed. "I cannot ask this enough of you, but if we are all to leave, we need someone to distract those cultists."

"Another problem is the patrol," Skylar noted. "If my calculations are correct, they'll be nearing the back door within the minute."

"We need to split up," Calder decided. "Robert, I want you to lead the evacuation. With Skylar and Zavier, you may be able to defeat the cultists, especially if you get the jump on them."

"Sounds fair to me," Robert nodded in agreement.

"What a great idea," Zavier sighed in relief. "Better to fight out there than in here. That way, I can protect the people, of course!"

"Stay safe, Calder," Skylar glanced towards her friend. "Make it back to the keep."

"I'll do my best," Calder told her. "Fargrim, you're with me."

"Two o' us against a lot o' raiders," Fargrim stroked his beard, grinning. "This is gonna be great!"

"We're leaving!" Robert announced to the gathered people. "This way!"

Robert led Skylar, Zavier, Brother Falconmoon, and the townsfolk out of the church. Calder hoped that his friends and the people would be safe on their way back to the stronghold. He and Fargrim took position at the farthest wall away from the door, taking aim with their longbow and javelin respectively. Once the raiders broke through the door, they would be taken by surprise. The battle would be rough and the duo would need any advantage they would get. The door continued to bend inward with each strike, until finally, the door broke open.

Calder let loose his arrow while Fargrim hurled his javelin forward, the two weapons embedding themselves into a kobold each. Four remaining kobolds and three men barged into the room. While two of the men were garbed in brown leather, the one in the center, the leader, wore dark, heavy armor. To make matters worse, he wore a mask that resembled some sort of serpent. Any doubts the hunter had about the raiders being unrelated to the Cult of the Dragon were gone. Fargrim snarled, taking down another kobold while Calder joined in, limiting the kobolds to two living. The remaining attackers start to descend on the duo.

"Ye keep firin' yer arrows," Fargrim told Calder, pulling out his greataxe. "I'll keep 'em back as lon' as I can!"

Before Calder could protest against it, Fargrim let out a wild roar, charging into the fray directly. The kobold in his way was swept aside with a greataxe swing, while the surviving monster tried to sneak around him to attack the archer. The ranger took the final kobold down with a well placed headshot. The masked raider struck at Fargrim twice, although only one blow landed. Another cultist tried to land a blow on the dwarf, but did little to slow him down. The ruthless warrior tried to retaliate against his attackers, although his target backed away from the deadly blade.

Calder had his target in mind, and marked the masked warrior with two fingers, focusing his aim on him. Afterwards, he took a quick shot at him, the arrow piercing his shoulder. This only agitates the raider, who strikes Fargrim once in the gut while he fended off the other two. The dwarf was bleeding badly but stood tall, missing once more as the raiders backed away from his wide arc. Calder tried to give his companion covering fire but his arrow soared wide. The masked warrior battered his blade across Fargrim's shoulders twice, driving him back a foot or two. He blocks one of the raider's attacks with his axe, but the other delivered a shark kick to send him down to the ground, out cold.

Now, it was just Calder against three armed and dangerous men.

Calder pointed two fingers at the raider who struck Fargrim down and now prepared to finish off the downed dwarf. Without hesitation, he let the arrow fly, and it struck right between his eyes. The ranger backed up into a corner while the remaining two foes advanced on him. He loaded another arrow onto his bow, and marked the mask warrior once more. Yet, instead of firing at him, he fired at the raider to his side. It sunk deep into his throat, ending his life. With nowhere left to run, the half-elf pulled out his shortsword and dropped his bow, ready to engage his final opponent.

Calder was swift enough to block the first blow, but the second slid across his arm, drawing blood. He grunted, and lashed out furiously at the masked warrior. His opponent was experienced, and took a step avoid the blow. Afterwards, he slashed twice at the half-elf's exposed gut. He screamed out in pain, but kept his concentration. He needed to end his opponent now. Taking a deep breath, he swung his sword, breaking through his foe's defense and slashing across his throat. It did not decapitate him, but it was enough to end his life and send him crashing to the ground.

After a moment of rest, Calder sheathed his blade, and holstered his longbow. There was no time to gather his thoughts on the battle. Fargrim was on the ground, close to bleeding out. For now, he had to worry about getting his comrade back to the stronghold to be treated for his injuries. The half-elf limped forward, slowly lifting the dwarf over his shoulders. He made his way out of the church, glad to see no resistance in his way. He only hoped that it was not too late for his friend.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks to help of Calder and his companions, many of the people of Greenest are safe.**

 **Isada: I am glad that you continue to enjoy the action. Just you wait though. I already got a few epic scenes in mind for the future.**

 **Until next time.**


	8. A Hero's Effort

Thankfully, Calder was able to make it back into the keep before either himself or Fargrim bled out. The way back to the tunnel was unhindered for the duo, although the ranger was briefly worried that they were leaving a trail of blood for the raiders to find. He convinced himself that if anything, they would be too busy with their destruction to notice the obvious trail. Covering it up would take too much time that the half-elf did not have. After making it through the tunnel, two soldiers helped them over to the makeshift medical ward, where healers would be able to treat them.

Calder's injuries were stitched up and bandaged within the hour. Given how desperate the town of Greenest was for defenders, he was cleared to join the fight again. Thankfully, his injuries would not impede on his combat ability, even though he felt drained. Most likely a result from his newfound ability to mark targets, some sort of spellcasting if he had to take a guess. As for Fargrim, he was still unconscious, and still being treated by the healers. The half-elf overheard the medics starting about the dwarf's condition, saying that it was a miracle he was alive. The hunter was still surprised at his comrade's endurance.

Now cleared to leave the medical ward, Calder thought it was best to join up with Skylar and Zavier. He was not sure how they fared, but was somewhat thankful not to see them in the medical ward. Although it could be that they had fallen in battle, the ranger was quick to pick out Brother Falconmoon, who was now aiding in the treatment of the injured. If he survived, it meant that his friends must have been successful in protecting the townsfolk. Rearmed and outfitted in his armor, he made his way over to the priest, who turned to face him with a smile.

"Ah, I remember you," Brother Falconmoon smiled warmly. "It is good to see that you survived."

"Yes, it is," Calder nodded in agreement. "What of my companions? How did they fare?"

"They fought well, and if not for their aid, we would have fallen," Brother Falconmoon reported. "When we got back, the Castellian took Robert back under his command, and Governor Nighthill wished to see the remaining two adventurers."

"I'll be on the look out for them," Calder told him. "Thank you."

"No, thank you," Brother Falconmoon corrected him.

Back home in the north, Calder lived a simple life. All he had to worry about was hunting for tonight's meal and the dealing with the disapproval of the elders. Now, he was taking a much more grander role. The half-elf was unsure of what he thought of being a hero that has saved dozen of citizens. There was a warm feeling in his chest at the thought of his good deeds. Even if they were not dealing with the Cult of the Dragon yet, they were on the right track, even if it did not take them to their true enemy.

Calder left the medical ward, on the lookout for his friends. The halls were filled with desperate and scared families, who had lost everything but their lives during the raids. While walking through the hall, the half-elf could see the faces of a few of the refugees smile at the sight of him. He recognized a few of them, some being from the church, and others from his first night. The ranger even saw Linan, who was reunited with her children and fully recovered children. Seeing the results of his good work was enough to continue him to fight on.

Eventually, Calder heard the raised voices of both Zavier and Skylar coming down the hallway. He could tell that they were in the middle of an argument, although their words were indecipherable. He followed the sound of the voices and came upon a wooden door that led into a storage room. He still could not make out any words and gripped the door. He twisted the door knob open, and swung the door open to reveal Skylar and Zaiver, almost at each other's throat."

"-did not sign up to get myself killed!" Zavier screamed out.

"If we don't do something, Greenest is going to fall!" Skylar reminded him.

"We're outmatched," Zavier bluntly told her. "We're both drained of our spells for today. We need to rest."

"There's no time to rest." Skylar argued, huffing.

"If it helps, I still have plenty of arrows," Calder interrupted their conversation.

"Calder!" Skylar exclaimed, the anger dispersing for joy. "We were worried sick about you!"

"What of Fargrim?" Zavier asked, somewhat worried. "Tell me he hasn't gotten himself killed."

"He lives on," Calder informed Zavier. "Terribly injured, but he'll survive."

"Of course he'll survive," Zavier sighed. "Gets beaten up on a daily basis, but he gets back up with that same grin of his."

"What happened while I was gone?" Calder asked, getting right to the point.

"Governor Nighthill called for the two of us to report on the raiders," Skylar explained. "They're targeting the mills, which have remained mostly intact throughout the whole raid. If they are destroyed, Greenest has a long recovery."

"An even longer recovery," Zavier corrected her. "Look, we all saw how Greenest is. Even if the mills survive, they don't have much hope."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Skylar glared towards him. "Just going to leave us?"

"As a matter of fact, I am," Zavier walked towards the open door. "Going right out the escape tunnel, so don't get in my way."

"Hold on a moment," Calder stood in his way, locking eyes with him. "Are you really going to leave Fargrim? He's not going to abandon Greenest now. I've been onto who you really were since we first met. You're not the legendary hero you claim to be. Yet, I can see that if there is one thing that is true, it is your friendship with Fargrim. So, will you really leave that friendship behind?"

Zavier opened his mouth, preparing to shout out an argument, but took a moment to think. Calder suppressed a grin, knowing that he had hit two weaknesses of the bard: his reputation and his friendship with the dwarf. The half-elf wondered why the man did not feel what he did. He wondered why he was not proud to be a hero to the small town of Greenest. Finally, Zavier sighed, shook his head, and took a few steps away from his friends.

"You'll see that I am the hero of legend, as I have told you many times," Zavier grinned, his voice full of confidence. "When we return from our battle from the mill, I will be sure to relate my story of my success to dear Fargrim. Let us make haste!"

* * *

 **A/N: A little bit of a shorter chapter this time around, with no action. I thought it would be best to see the interactions between our heroes to show their growing bonds. I would prefer for such chapters to be longer, but given that they are in the middle of a war zone, I have to be realistic this time around.**

 **Until next time.**


	9. Ambush at the Mill

When leaving the fortress and returning to the town of Greenest, Calder was starting to grow more hopeful. Most of the fires have died away and left behind smoldering ruins. Which it looked bleak, to the ranger, it was a sign that the attack was coming to an end. Many other builds remain standing after the chaos, untouched by the raiders. Speaking of the attackers, many of them were no longer in sight, leaving the town mostly abandoned. The trio of adventurers could walk the streets without needing to sneak around since there was no one out looking for someone to attack.

There were still doubts that rested in Calder's mind. Skylar described a mill as a way to produce and store food from plants grown in the fields, making it important for the town's survival. If it was a target for the raiders, then they most likely sent all of their forces out to deal with it. While the sorceress was capable in her own right, most of her spells had been drained, leaving her with the weak cantrips. Likewise, Zavier was down to those minors spells, and although he handled himself well enough with his rapier, he was more inclined to run. The ranger hoped that his archery would be enough to make up for the absence of Fargrim.

When they finally came in sight of the mill, a large, rectangular barn, Calder was surprised to not see any raiders. Instead, there were a half dozen kobolds standing in front of the entrance to the building. There was a small fire picking up by the door, but the draconic creatures struggled to keep the flame lit. Two kobolds were fetching wood from a house while the other four wandered around the mill. The adventurers took position in a ruined house across the mill, taking careful observation of what they were dealing with.

"The raiders must be packing up," Calder commented, pulling out his longbow. "The kobolds should be easy enough to deal with, especially if we have the element of surprise."

"Then let's get to work," Skylar pulled out her crossbow. "Zavier, do you have any hidden weapon on you for ranged combat?"

"Only my words," Zavier grinned, his eyes concentrated on the mill.

"So, you've been using a spell whenever you insult your enemies," Calder realized.

"I think it's called Vicious Mockery," Skylar told him. "Not that effective, but better than nothing."

"I suppose so," Calder shrugged. "Ready?"

"Ready." Skylar nodded and took aim.

"Just a moment," Zavier held a hand up. "They're not trying to burn down the mill."

"Uh, Zavier, we can see them setting fire to the mill," Skylar pointed out.

"I mean that they're not trying to set fire to it," Zavier pointed out while Calder analyzed the mill. "You see, well, uh, there was this old play troupe I met once, and in one of their skits, they set fire to a prop building. Because they need both the prop for the next show and that it was happening inside-"

"It's a controlled fire," Calder informed them. "He's right."

"What does that mean for us?" Skylar asked.

"I don't know," Zavier sighed. "It's easy to see that they are trying to deceive us."

"It could be a trap," Calder thought out loud.

"A trap?" Skylar scratched the back of her head. "Who are they trying to trap?"

"Us," Zavier answered quickly, catching on. "Think about it. Whenever a hero interferes in a villain's plan, the villain sets a trap by leaving bait for the hero. We've been fighting raiders all day. After the battle at the church, they probably know we're around."

"So, they know we're here, and they want us to come," Skylar started to think. "Where are the rest of the ambushers?"

"It doesn't matter," Calder pulled out an arrow. "We stand here and let whoever come to us."

Skylar nodded and took aim at her own kobold at well. Zavier stood by their side, keeping his eyes out to the different houses for possible raiders. Best to be paranoid now that they knew there was a trap waiting for them. Skylar fired her crossbow towards a kobold, striking him in the throat, while Calder landed a headshot on his target. Only his target fell, while the other kobold, despite bleeding from the neck, remained living.

"Zavier!" Skylar called out while she reloaded her crossbow.

"Oh!" Zavier snapped back to reality and glanced towards the wounded kobold. "A goblin with one hand nailed down would make for a better threat than you!"

The wounded kobold's hand went from his neck towards his head before collapsing to the ground, unmoving. How the bard came up with these insults on the fly was beyond him. Calder pulled out another arrow and fired it the same time Skylar fired her crossbow. His arrow took down another kobold while her bolt injured the other kobold in the leg. Zavier, who was still focused on finding intruders, turned to the wounded kobold to strike it down with the same insult from before. Although it was not original, he did not have the time to come up with something new.

No one emerged from any of the buildings except the two kobolds gathering firewood. They came out of a house, saw their companions on the ground dead, and bolted away while dropping their collected wood. Calder did not bother to shoot at them, knowing that the ambushers took priority. Yet, nothing came after them. Slowly, the ranger lowered his weapon and took a look at his companions, confused.

"Were we wrong?" Calder asked them. "Perhaps they were expecting us to charge in head first."

"Only one way to find out," Skylar glanced towards Zavier. "Go out there."

"Me?!" Zavier quickly took a step back. "Why me?!"

"Out of the three of us, you're best suited to handle yourself if a fight does break out in close quarters," Skylar told him. "Now, go out and be our bait."

"I'd like to think that Calder is a better swordsman than I," Zavier pointed out, a bead of sweat falling down his forehead.

"He probably is, but he's the best archer we have," Skylar complimented. "He stays with me."

"And I wouldn't want you trying to cover me," Calder smirked.

"Why not you, Skylar?" Zavier asked. "Storytelling 101: the damsel in distress is the perfect bait."

"Well, this damsel is not in distress, and has a crossbow," she smiled playfully while pointing her crossbow at Zavier. "It's settled. You got out, and not another word of complaint!"

Zavier opened his mouth to snap back at her, but when she had a finger on the trigger in the crossbow, he closed it. Calder was not sure if she was bluffing but it was enough to get the bard moving. He left their protective cover and emerged at the road where the kobolds were killed at, rapier raised. No one came after him as he passed over the corpses. The ranger and sorceress kept their weapons raised just in case trouble did come. It was only after the man kicked some dirt on the dying embers that they lowered their guard and emerged from cover.

"No trap," Zavier let out a sigh of relief. "What's next?"

"If you were paying any attention to Governor Nighthill, you would know that we're supposed to hold out until reinforcements come by," Skylar reminded him.

"Then it would be best if we wait inside the mill," Calder suggested. "It would prove to be more defensive than being out in the open."

"Agreed," Skylar nodded, opening the door. "After you, Zavier."

"Hold on," Zavier was glancing over his shoulder before turning back to the group. "I think the trap is still in effect."

"Then you would be safest inside," Calder pointed out. "Or are you afraid of old mills now?"

"But what if the trap was inside?" Zavier asked rhetorically. "Think about it. We were sent out to fight kobolds. We expected an ambush. There wasn't an ambush and we took down all of the kobolds. Our guard is lowered now. This is the perfect time to strike!"

"You're paranoid," Calder sighed.

"I live this long by being paranoid," Zavier told him.

"I thought that was because of your remarkable dragonslaying powers," Calder reminded him.

"I don't think there's a trap waiting for us inside," Skylar glanced in through the open door. "I'm not seeing anyone inside."

"Of course you wouldn't see anyone on the ground level!" Zavier pointed to the mill. "Two stories, at most. I expect archers up on the second level."

"There are lofts above," Skylar reported.

"A perfect place for archers," Zavier told them.

"Zavier, if it makes you feel any better, I'll go in," Calder shrugged, walking up to the door.

"Go ahead, but be sure to look up," Zavier warned. "And keep your fancy bow out, will you?"

Calder sighed, trying to think how much longer he could put up with Zavier's crazy antics. To appease his companion, he kept an arrow nocked on his bow while stepping inside. Once inside, he took a quick glance up, and gasped. Much to his surprise, there was a man in the lofts, spear raised to throw down. The ranger was quicker on the attack, his arrow flying into the ambusher's shoulder. He let out a scream of pain while three of his companions started to move up, two more spears raised.

"Zavier, you were right!" Calder yelled back while rushing over to a stack of hay for cover.

"Of course I was right!" Zavier stepped into the barn and glanced up at the injured raider. "Obvious trap is obvious. Feel ashamed for your failure."

The guard grasped his head, and without warning, fell down from the loft with a sickening crack. Calder knew that he was dead long before falling head first and reminded himself to hold back on the insults to his companion. The bard rushed inside, allowing for Skylar to step in. She fired her crossbow right as the two spear throwers launched their weapons. Her bolt slammed into the shield of one of their attackers, the first spear struck the ground right in front Zavier, and the final spear seemingly missed Skylar, sailing over her shoulder and outside the mill.

Skylar rushed to cover by Calder while reloading her crossbow. The final attacker jumped down from the loft, pulling out a scimitar to face Zavier in battle. The ranger took a glance at his companion to see that his friend had a small cut across her cheek. The spear was able to injure her. The half-elf grunted and quickly broke away from cover, pulling an arrow from his quiver and onto his bow. He pulled back and let it fly free, slamming into the head of the attacker that injured her and sending him crashing down to the loft.

Zavier pulled out his rapier with one swift motion and jabbed his attacker straight in the chest, drawing blood. The raider roared out in pain and raised his scimitar to strike his foe. However, his life was ended when a crossbow bolt fired by Skylar struck him between the eyes. The final raider pulled out his own scimitar and jumped down from the loft, striking the bard across his arm. Calder let loose another arrow at the remaining attacker, but the shot was wide and slammed into a wooden beam instead.

Instead of reloading, Calder threw his bow down on the ground and charged forward, pulling out one of his shortswords. Zavier struck the raider across his cheek, drawing blood and leaving him with a nasty scratch. Skylar charged past the ranger and grabbed onto the back of the man, electricity gathering around her hands and blue flames forming around her neck. He screamed out in pain until Calder struck him across the throat with his blade, ending his life. From the door, Robert emerged with a war cry, crossbow raised. However, his excitement faded away when he saw that that the battle was over.

"Looks like you three had it all covered," Robert sighed and holstered his crossbow. "Are you three alright?"

"Scraped and bruised, but we'll live," Calder assured his friend.

"Please tell me you're the calvary," Zavier quickly added.

"Aye," Robert nodded. "The rest of my men are securing the perimeter. You three did good work."

"We can help you defend the mill further if needed," Skylar offered.

"It's not needed," Robert shook his head. "Castellan Escobert asked me to pass along a few messages. Three, to be exact. The first is that the raiders are mostly on the run. There are a few stragglers like this band here, but the attack has died down. The gates are opened for you to use."

"It's good to see that our hard work has finally paid off," Calder sighed in relief. "The second message?"

"Fargrim is awake," Robert reported. "He's making quite the scene back at the stronghold about being left behind."

"That blasted dwarf needs to learn to take a great," Zavier smiled. "It's good to see he's back to his old spirits."

"What else?" Skylar asked.

"In celebration of the raider's defeat, and for your efforts and part in our victory, Governor Nighthill is hosting a feast tonight to celebrate," Robert concluded. "After all we've been through, I could use a good party."

"Then we shall make our way back to rest, then party!" Zavier declared. "With me, my friends!"

Zavier led the way, eager for the celebration tonight. Of course the man that claimed to be a hero would want to go to a feast that celebrated him. Calder held back a chuckle, then followed him alongside Skylar. The three of them, and Fargrim, and even Robert, had been hard at work for the past day to keep Greenest safe. With a feast to celebrate their victory, and raise moral, the ranger felt that he could keep his guard down and enjoy the awards of their heroism.

* * *

 **A/N: Although it pains me to say it, but I will be taking a break from writing for a few weeks to focus on other matters that require my immediate attention. Defense of Greenest will pick up on April 11th.**

 **Until next time.**


	10. A Brief Respite

Evening fell as the feast grew closer. With the attack nearing an end, the people of Greenest were pooling all of their resources for the celebration. While it might not have been the best idea as most of Greenest were in ruins, it was necessary. Many of the townsfolk had lost their homes and families to the raiders. They needed something to look forward to in life. Some other town would surely come with the help needed to repair the buildings. If not, Calder had nowhere else to go until he learns where the Cult of the Dragon resided. He would be willing to stay in Greenest to aid in the reconstruction efforts.

For the feast, Governor Nighthill insisted that the adventurers wore something nice. The threat was gone and there was no need to be on guard. The leader deemed Calder's leather armor "too rough" for the celebration and offered a set of nicer clothes. It was a simple black tunic, a pair of matching pants, and boots not fit for any long term trekking. Without his longbow and swords, the ranger felt defenseless, a strange feeling even though he was safe in the keep. The raiders were defeated, he reminded himself. The half-elf could stay off guard if only for a hour or two.

Calder departed from the changing chambers provided for him and left to the lobby for the audience hall. For the occasion, the audience hall of the keep had been fitted with tables for all of Greenest to be at. The hallway was silent asides from the occasional patrolling guard. In the lobby, the rest of his friends were gathered. Skylar wore the same robes as she did before, although the half-elf could tell they were cleaner. Zavier was able to provide his own outfit that looked similar to the ranger's wear with the only difference being that his shirt was white. Fargrim, arms crossed, wore a plain brown shirt for the first time since they met.

"Calder, about time," Zavier greeted. "We are to be announced to the people of Greenest within the hour."

"Forgive me," Calder bowed. "I am not accustomed to wearing such fine clothing."

"It's not like you were late or anything," Skylar assured him. "They're making last minute preparations to the food."

"When they should be focusin' their efforts on defendin' th' keep," Fargrim grunted.

"Don't mind my companion," Zavier told everyone. "He just hates that he was left behind on our last task. And that he has to wear a shirt loaned by Escobert."

"Might I remind ye three that there's still a dragon on th' loose!" Fargrim reminded everyone.

"We haven't seen the dragon since last night," Skylar shrugged. "I did forgot about it. Maybe it flew off."

"An' if it comes back?" Fargrim asked. "Don't git me wron'. I'm all fer a good drink an' such, but we're celebratin' too early, ye know? I'm callin' it now, but th' dragon is goin' te return by th' time th' sun sets."

"If the dragon does return, I shall defeat it in battle and save Greenest for good," Zavier declared, grinning with confidence. "You have faith in my abilities as much as I have faith in your potential, do you?"

"Aye, Master Blackwood," Fargrim nodded. "I suppose I did ferget that Greenest is under yer protection. If th' dragon knows that, it would never come fer another attack lest it loses its head!"

"I'm surprised," Calder whispered to Skylar. "I don't think there was a hint of hesitation with Zavier's promise."

"I think it may have something to do with him thinking that the dragon won't possibly return," Skylar giggled silently. "We did a good thing, you know. Saving Greenest."

Calder nodded quietly in agreement, thinking back on Fargrim's words. All day, they have been fighting the raiders, and never once did they see a dragon. The guards all reported fighting one that focused its attention on the keep at night. Yet, with the raiders on the run, the mighty beast too would be gone too. As much as it surprised the ranger, Zavier was right. There was no need to be worried about a threat that was not coming back.

"Now, let us introduce to you our heroes!" Governor Nighthill's voice echoes, the audience hall doors opening.

The audience hall was a large room with two long tables faced towards the gates. At the long table, many of the common folk sat, giving a loud applause to their heroes. They made an open isle for the back of the room, where a smaller table with six sets had been prepared. Two of the seats were occupied by Nighthill and Escobert the Red. The governor was healed enough to make public appearances and clapped with both hands enthusiastically.

Without hesitation, Zavier stepped into the audience hall with long strides, basking in the attention. Just for one night, he could live as a hero. Fargrim, less receptive to the attention, followed after his supposed mentor, looking unease. Skylar was calm, her eyes closed, with Calder behind her. The half-elf was not one for celebrations as large as this. The group of adventurers made their way to the table, where Governor Nighthill and Escobert stood up to stand up with them.

"Without th' aid o' th' brave heroes before ye, Greenest surely would have fallen," Escobert declared as the clapping came to a stop. "We thank ye, strangers, fer sacrificin' so much fer us!"

"It is no problem at all!" Zavier boasted loudly, facing the audience. "As many of you know, I am Zavier Blackwood, the legendary slayer of dragons! My student, Fargrim Torun, and I, knew that we needed to take action, especially with rumors of a dragon flying about. We fought, alongside Calder Notley and Skylar Godwin, a pair of traveling adventurers from the far north, to defeat the raiders. Now, comes the long process of rebuilding for a brighter future!"

Once more, the audience broke out into applause and Zavier took his bow. Calder had to give the man credit where it was due. He certainly had a way with words. If the ranger did not already know that he was a sham, he would have certainly fallen victim to the eloquent speech of his friend. Skylar remained passive while Fargrim, out of respect for his master, joined in on the cheering, clapping and hollering. If only the so-called hero could put his way with words to better use.

"Let us eat!" Governor Nighthill concluded.

For the night, Calder and his friends joined the governor and castellian to eat. Calder sat at the end of the table, next to Skylar. Fargrim was at the other end with Zavier at his side. The dwarf listened in as his mentor told a tale of how he heroically defeated a dragon in its own lair to Escobert, who chuckled along with the story. The ranger did not pay attention, knowing that his friend spoke a false tale. Skylar exchanged pleasant conversation with the governor, asking how Greenest was before the attacks.

With no one to talk to, Calder briefly ate the food provided by the people of Greenest. There were breads, fruits, and wild game hunted by hunters before the attack. The ranger ate the meat, accustomed to the familiar taste. As a hunter, he was used to eating what he hunted. Between the pastries and fruits, the roasted and smoke meat was by far the best part of the meal. The half-elf was glad that the people of Greenest were able to share this meal with him and his companions.

Thinking about the people, Calder looked amongst the crowds gathered in the audience hall. Once more, he saw Linan and her family at the center of one of the tables. Her husband made a full recovery and shared in joyful times with his wife and children. Brother Falconmoon sat along the front of another table, tired from his work as a medic. The ranger made brief eye contact with Robert, who stood guard by the corner of the audience hall. The half-elf could tell that the veteran was missing something, his sister. He feared the worst had become of his family.

Suddenly, the dining came to a halt a loud roar coming from outside the keep. The gathered people looked around, nervous at the sound. The roar echoed out, louder and closer than before. Zavier put on a forced grin, Skylar looked shock, and Fargrim smirked. Calder stood up as another soldier bursted into the audience hall, panting heavily from his sprint. The half-elf could tell that his face was incredibly pale as if he just saw a spirit. With everyone looking at him, the soldier took a deep breath, and gave his warning.

"The dragon is back!" the soldier warned. "To arms, guards!"

* * *

 **A/N: I'm back with not only a new chapter but a cliffhanger. Want to find out what happens next? Find out in the next chapter!**

 **Until next time.**


	11. Blue in Greenest

"What did I tell ye!" Fargrim shouted out, hopping on the table and pushing aside several plates of food. "I told ye th' dragon would be back! But nay! None o' ye would listen te me! Look who's laugin' now! I finally git te kill me a dragon!"

"To th' battlements!" Escobert directed the adventurers and the guards gathered. "Everyone, remain calm. This isn't th' first time th' beast attacked, an' it won't be th' last."

"I'll need my bow," Calder muttered. "I'll be useless without it."

"I'll get it!" Zavier announced, running off after Fargrim. "Just head up to the battlements without me!"

"We need to get going, Calder!" Skylar told her friend. "Come on!"

Calder nodded and followed his friends out of the audience hall, which was thrown into a panic. While Skylar took point, Calder was following closely behind. He realized that Sergeant Markguth ran alongside him, already pulling out his crossbow in preparation for battle. The ranger had to give the soldier credit was do. The man was willing to rush into battle to protect the people gathered safely in the keep. If only he could talk the governor into letting Robert dine with him rather than Zavier.

It only took a few minutes to gather on the battlements of the keep, where nearly two dozen guards were prepared for battle against a foe beyond their skill. In the distance, nearly concealed by the night sky, was a large, winged beast with blue scales. The mighty wyrm matched the description that the hunters of his village gave on the few times they saw a dragon, although the scales were of a different color. It kept its distance away from the keep, many of the crossbow bolts fired at it missing or bouncing off its scales.

"Come on, ye blue bastard!" Fargrim taunted, waving. "Come on down so I can wrap my hands around yer sorry neck an' snap it!"

"Fargrim, please don't taunt the giant flying beast while we're unarmed," Calder told his friend, sighing. "Damn. I should have gone and retrieved my bow before coming."

"Zavier should be getting it," Skylar noted. "But why does it keep its distance?"

"Because it's been attacking for so long, we're no longer scared of it," Robert told them, loading a crossbow bolt into his weapon. "It now resorts to blasting lightning on us with each flyover."

"Sergeant Markguth, do you think we actually stand a chance?" Calder asked.

"Maybe with your friend's magic, we can," Robert answered.

"I do have a spell that could actually help out," Skylar nodded in agreement. "One I just learned."

"Regardless of what our odds are, I'm fighting," Robert declared. "Doesn't matter if it can eat or crush me if it wanted to. If we don't drive it away, we're all as good as dead!"

Sergeant Markguth ran off to join his comrades, the dragon turning around in preparation to fly over the keep. Calder cursed, feeling useless. Even if his arrows could not pierce its tough scales, he would prefer to be shooting at it rather than being a bystander with little to do. The hunter wanted to fight alongside brave soldiers like Robert in defense of Greenest.

Fortunately, the door behind them opened to reveal Zavier. The man carried in his arms Fargrim's javelins along with Calder's bow and quiver. The hunter and warrior did not hesitate to grab at their respective weapons. He threw the quiver over his shoulder and pulled a single arrow out, ready for action. Fargrim grinned as he held onto one javelin and sheathed the other three across his back in their holster.

"Good te fight with ye fer once, Master Blackwood," Fargrim acknowledged. "Ready fer action?"

"About that, but all of the spells I have prepared for today are for support, not for dragon slaying," Zavier sighed. "It appears you're on your own."

"Damn it," Fargrim grunted.

"Consider this to be a test," Zavier told his student. "Let's see if you are capable of fighting with others to drive off that dragon!"

"Aye!" Fargrim slammed a fist against his chest. "I won't let ye down!"

"Why not loot the fallen of their crossbows," Calder suggested. "They won't be needing them."

"I would not dare disrespect the dead by looting their worldly possessions," Zavier shook his head. "Skylar, may I retrieve and use your crossbow, which is currently in your quarters on the far side of the castle?"

"You may do so," Skylar told him with a hint of disappointment.

"I shall be back soon!" Zavier declared.

Without hesitation, Zavier ran back through the open door and slammed it shut behind him. Calder was once more amazed by how his ally was able to escape danger through a quick mind and tongue. Not that his presence could turn the tide in the battle. Even with a crossbow, he would not be able to do much against the fierce, blue dragon that prepared to finish the job it started when the raid first started.

The blue dragon flew towards the castle, enduring the crossbow bolts fired at it. When it neared the walls, it opened its mouth wide, and unleashed a strong storm of lightning upon a group of soldiers. Calder was able to see that only a few guards were hit. Four at most, and it seemed three still lived. Robert was on scene, dragging away one of the injured while firing at the dragon with his crossbow. The shot went wide since he was shooting with one hand, and the mighty dragon flew over the castle unopposed.

Calder knew that he had to make every shot count. Once more, he pointed two fingers at the dragon, then took aim. He could feel that his aim was sharper thanks to the simple gesture, or perhaps it was his quarry flying closer to him that made the shot possible. The hunter let loose the arrow fly, but it soared underneath the beast. The half-elf cursed while Fargrim chucked a javelin, which bounced harmlessly off of its scales.

The dragon let out a mighty roar as the useless attacks struck over him, close to being over the castle now. Skylar chanted away at a spell, the blue flames appearing around her head and neck once more. Three white bolts formed in her hands, each of them flying towards the dragon. At first, it seemed they missed, but then they turned, locked onto their foe. The magic missiles struck against the dragon, who let out another roar, only it was of pain this time.

"It's injured!" Calder heard Robert's voice roar out from the crowd. "Keep firing, men! We may be able to drive it away!"

The guards, now inspired by the act of defiance, unleashed a volley upon the dragon, which now flew away from the castle. Many bolts missed or bounced off of its scales. To Calder's side, Fargrim chucked a javelin over the edge of the wall. Even with the dwarf's strength, it was not enough to catch the dragon. The ranger knocked an arrow on his bow and took aim. His sight, specifically on his prey, was sharper than it was before. The half-elf took a deep breath, and let the arrow fly free

The arrow soared through the dark, night sky, and slammed into the dragon. Yet, it did not bounce off its scales. It pierced into the mighty beast, which let out another roar of pain. Calder could not help but grin when he saw that he was able to strike the dragon and draw blood. Once more, Skylar unleashed a volley of magic missiles on their foe, which slammed into the beast. The dragon roared out one final time and flew towards the night skies. Of the guards, only Robert fired at it once. His comrades were cheering, and the ranger could understand why. It was an odd feeling, but he could tell that their attacker was fleeing.

"We did it," Calder sighed out in relief. "Or, well, Skylar drove the dragon off."

"Oh, and why did it let out a roar of pain when you shot at it?" Skylar smirked. "We drove it off. Robert kept the guard under control when they were against a more powerful foe, and Fargrim-"

"Don't ye fly off, ye overgrown lizard who is better off stayin' in th' dirt where ye should be!" Fargrim taunted, waving a javelin up towards the air. "I still need te shove this down yer throat an' pierce yer pathetic excuse fer a heart! Or, if ye prefer, there's always th' other entrance!"

"...Fargrim didn't run away in fear," Calder finished for Skylar.

The two friends chuckled together while the dwarf paid no heed to their conversation, caught in his own world. The gathered town guard cheered out as they secured their final victory of the night, and their biggest victory. No doubt that they would share their story with their children and grandchildren. The door opened once more, revealing the gruff Escobert. Zavier stood behind him, crossbow in hand with a nervous face. They both looked up to the sky, amazed that it was clear of the aerial threat.

"Would ye look at that!" Escobert chuckled. "I had my doubts that ye adventurers could stop a dragon, but I'm glad ye prove me wron'!"

"It was no problem at all," Zavier quickly spoke, standing in front of his comrades. "Dragons flee before our collective band of heroes!"

"Bah, if only we could kill it," Fargrim grunted, crossing his arms.

"Sergeant Markguth," Escobert looked past the four to the approaching soldier. "Report."

"The dragon was only able to make one flyby before it fled," Robert reported. "Three men are currently in need of healing. Only one lethal casualty: Corporal Davis. He placed himself in front of his comrades to save them from the brunt of the lightning."

"If Governor Nighthill won't recognize his sacrifice, I'll be sure te do it myself," Escobert declared. "Have the remainin' men fall back. Zavier, put yer magic te an' heal th' poor lads."

"Of course," Zavier replied with a grin. "That is the reason why I prepared healing spells today!"

"Ye always think so far in advance, master," Fargrim complimented.

"What do you need us to do?" Calder asked.

"Th' three o' ye earned yer rest fer th' night," Esocbert told them. "I doubt we'll encounter any further trouble. Thanks fer th' aid."

"We will be happy to provide any help, and even assist in rebuilding Greenest if needed," Skylar offered.

"I'll pass that te th' governor," Escobert nodded.

Escobert made his way back into the keep, ready to deliver his report to Governor Nighthill. Robert and Zavier made their way towards the gathered guards, ready to follow with their orders. While Calder and Skylar made their way inside, Fargrim stood out on the walls, eyes gazing longingly at the sky. He let out a sigh of disappointment and followed his friends inside. It was safe to say that Greenest was officially saved.

* * *

 **A/N: Might have taken several weeks, but that cliffhanger has finally been resolved.**

 **Until next time.**


	12. The Challenge

The next morning, Calder kept watch on the battlements. Most of the town watch had returned within the keep to rest and enjoyed in the early morning celebrations. Let them have their victory over the dragon. The flames within Greenest had finally died down and there were only a handful of raiders and kobolds left, all separated from each other. Even though Greenest looked like it was saved, Calder knew better than to let his guard down. The dragon could return at any moment and strike at the keep or the raiders could set fire to the town once more.

Calder was left to his own questions while keeping watch over the ruined town. Why did his father want to come here? What was there that he was not seeing?There had to have been a purpose as to why he came so far from home to make it here of all places. What was so important about Greenest that he had to leave his home to come here. These would be questions he struggled with for the coming days, he was sure. Lost to his thoughts in the early day, he was surprised to see Skylar approaching.

"You should come down and celebrate with us," Skylar smiled at him. "It's like a festival down there, and say what you will of him, but Zavier is certainly a good musician."

"The conflict can't be over, not yet," Calder shook his head. "My father brought us out here for a reason: to face the Cult of the Dragon."

"And we did that," Skylar told him. "Those raiders had to be related with the Cult, and we drove them off."

"Why?" Calder questioned. "Why are they raiding villages? Why are they going to such great lengths to disguise their efforts?"

"I don't know," Skylar shrugged. "What I do know is we fought a dragon off and forced it to retreat. Take some pride in that."

"For now," Calder sighed.

"You can take a break, Cal," Skylar suggested. "You've done a lot as it was already. I'm honestly surprised that you're just sticking to yourself."

"How so?" Calder turned to face her, confused.

"You never left your homeland, yes?" Skylar pointed out. "The arctic north."

"Yes," Calder nodded.

"I just thought you would want to see the sights some more," Skylar pointed out. "How many things have you seen in the past two days that you haven't seen before in your life?"

"I lost count," Calder chuckled.

"It's rather brave of you to take up the fight, one that you have never been involved in, simply because it's the right thing to do," Skylar explained. "But you should see the sights while you're at it. Eat. Dance. Meet new people. A few of the ladies have been talking about you."

"Now I know you're joking," Calder smiled, returning his gaze to the field.

"You'll never find out if you stick here by yourself," Skylar stepped forward, standing by his side. "But, if you're so insistent, I shall stand with you."

"You don't have to," Calder told her.

"That's what friends are for."

Calder smiled at her words, relaxing a little. Back with his people, he never really had friends as an outcast. There was Manning and a few other exceptions, but otherwise, he was left to himself. Now, he had true friends, one who would fight by his side. Skylar, Fargrim, and even Zavier. He was surprised to find himself leading the fight against the Cult of the Dragon with such companions. Together, he was certain that they would solve whatever mystery hid their plans and foil them.

Robert passed by them, fully armored and crossbow at. The soldier had been up all morning, keeping an eye out of Greenest. Unlike Calder, who looked out for potential threats, he was looking for his sister and her children. The ranger learned from Falconmoon of the missing family. He also learned from Governor Nighthill there were more missing citizens and that no one knew where they were. Just another piece of the puzzle they were missing. That would have to be the next step they took. Not only would it benefit Greenest to have its missing people returned, but it would strike another blow against the Cult of the Dragon.

"You've seen anything yet?" Robert asked. "And of my sister?"

"Not yet," Calder answered. "I am sorry."

"It's fine," Robert kept walking by. "I'll keep looking for her."

"And I hope you find your sister," Calder replied, although he received no answer.

"Do you miss your family at all?" Skylar asked.

"I do," Calder nodded. "My mother and my elder brother Manning. But I know that I'll meet with them one day. What of your family?"

"I… don't think I ever really had a family," Skylar shrugged. "I remember glimpses of a man during my childhood, someone who took care of me, but I don't know who he was."

"You don't sound attached to him," Calder noted.

"I don't really remember anything, but he was there," Skylar told him. "My memory jumps around a little. I think it has a lot to do with my powers."

"And how did someone as strong as you come about to being forced to serve on that ship?" Calder questioned. "You did the most damage to that dragon."

"It was your father who asked that I come along," Skylar revealed. "He needed someone to tend to him during the voyage."

"Calder!" Robert called out. "We have trouble coming towards the front gates!"

Calder cut their conversation short and followed after where Robert called out. Skylar went after him and the trio had a clear view of what was coming their way. A dozen kobolds were marching, prodding four prisoners with their spears. There was a woman, a young boy covered in dried blood, and two children. They were brought to their knees a good distance away from the castle. Robert gasped, his grip on his crossbow growing tighter. Calder could only assume that he had finally found his family.

Breaking through the kobold's ranks was a creature Calder had never seen before. From a distance, he looked like a human, but the ranger's eyes could make out more obvious details. He stood taller than a normal human with blue scales for skin, twisted claws for fingers, and a jaw shaped like that of a lizard with reptilian eyes. He wore powerful armor and carried a longsword in his hands. Calder thought there were similarities between this new commander and the dragon they drove off just last night.

The message of the raiders returning had been passed along. Governor Nighthill and Escobert the Red were quick to join the group, followed shortly by Zavier and Fargrim. The situation was tense. Calder calculated that they were about eighty yards between the gate and the raiders. He was a good archer and had a clear shot, but he was not going to be able to save the civilians. He would watch for now, listen to whatever demands this warrior made.

"Defenders of Greenest!" the draconic warrior called out. "I am Langdedrosa Cyanwrath. This has been a successful raid, and I am feeling mighty generous." Cyanwrath pointed his longsword at the throat of the woman. "Do you see these four pitiful and useless prisoners? We have no need of them, so I will trade them back to you."

"Grah!" Robert pulled out his sword. "I'll cut that bastard down! That's my sister and her children!"

"Sergeant Markguth, hold!" Escobert ordered with him, Zavier, and Calder holding the guard back.

"Speak your demand, vile beast!" Governor Nighthill shot back.

"Send your best warrior out to fight me," Cyanwrath demanded. "I shall release these four if you do so."

"Let me at him!" Markguth snarled. "I'll be able to strike him down."

"Lad, ye just picked up a sword this week!" Escobert argued.

"My friends," Nighthill turned to face the group. "You've demonstrated prowess throughout the raid. I realize this is an awful burden to ask you to bear, but any of you has a better chance of defeating that horror than my militia."

"Say no more," Calder pulled out his bow. "I can fight him."

"Cal, you can't exactly fight in a duel with your bow," Skylar pointed out, then looked towards Nighthill. "He's still new to such techniques."

"What is a duel?" Calder asked.

"A one on one fight between two men of honor to prove who is superior," Zavier explained. "Bringing a bow to a sword fight breaks the purpose of that duel."

"Likewise, my magic won't be accepted," Skylar sighed. "Not that I think I could beat him."

"That leaves you two," Nighthill turned to Zavier and Fargrim. "Zavier, my men speak of the tales where you faced mighty dragons within their own lair. Surely, such a beast is beneath your power that you can fell him with one blow."

"Of course!" Robert exclaimed. "Send him! He can stop Cyanwrath and his minions."

"I can?" Zavier gasped, quickly regaining his composure. "Uh, I mean, of course I can!"

"Master Blackhood, ye should send me te fight," Fargrim volunteered, pulling out his greataxe. "I can smell th' dragon on that warrior from here. Let this be another one o' my tests te show that I can slay dragons just as well as ye can!"

"Of course!" Zavier quickly nodded in agreement. "My pupil, Fargrim Torun, will fight. I shall serve as his second, in case that pitiful dragon or those measly kobolds try to double cross us!"

"Then do so," Governor Nighthill declared. "All of Greenest shall be watching."

Calder let out a sigh of relief. For a moment, he was worried that they were going to be depending on Zavier to save the day. At least with Fargrim taking his spot in the duel, the ranger believed they had a shot at victory. Fargrim had proven himself time and time again as a martial warrior. If there was anyone who had a chance of beating Cyanwrath in a duel (a concept Calder tried to wrap his head around), it would be him.

Word quickly spread of the duel with many townspeople and guards coming up to the battlements. No longer were they afraid of the raiders. They were excited to see them defeated once and for all. Skylar stood to his right and Robert, calmed down slightly, took a spot at his left. Although he did not like playing the role of a spectator, Calder was interested to see how this final battle would play out.

* * *

 **A/N: After an unannounced hiatus, I have returned to continue my stories. I have adjusted well enough to college to get back onto my writing schedule. Next time, we'll see the duel between Fargrim and Cyanwrath unfold.**

 **Until next time.**


	13. The Duel

Fargrim watched the gate, clutching onto his greataxe with both hands. He, Zavier, and a few guards were in the keep. The guards worked on removing the barricades that barred entry into the keep. Although Fargrim was ready to throw down his axe to aid him, Zavier told him to save his strength. The dwarf grunted in response but understood the wisdom beyond his mentor's words. He had a duty to perform: to slay any dragons that dare threaten the good people of this world. Although his foe may not be fully dragon, there was no denying his draconic features. Cyanwrath would fall.

The guards finally removed the barricades and pushed the gates open. The sun peeked in slowly, prompting Fargrim and Zavier to stroll forward at once. When they left the keep, a chorus of cheering called out their names. Zavier slowed down, turning around to wave at their spectators. Fargrim pressed on, not turning back to keep. He acknowledged their cheers with a light smile. To be reminded of why he needs to fight was touching to the gruff warrior, which was almost enough to forget the sins the dragons inflicted upon him.

Fargrim's grip on his axe tightened at the thought.

The farther they moved away from the keep, the less likely they would receive aid from the defenders. The militia and their crossbows would not be able to cover such distances. Fargrim even had his doubts that Calder would be able to provide covering fire this far. If the dragon's evil forces decided to turn on their deal, as it is their nature, it would make no difference. If he was denied his test, then Zavier would unleash his full power upon those pathetic kobolds. Such a feat would be exciting to see but not necessary. He fought his own battles rather than relying on others.

Fargrim and Zavier drew ever closer to Cyanwrath. The draconic warrior's jaws formed a grin, eagerly awaiting the battle. Fargrim's stomach twisted in anger. He wanted to rush forward and show his might upon the pathetic excuse for a dragon. Yet, he held himself back. The faint cheerings coming from the keep reminded him to remain calm. Once the duel had officially started, it would be time to unleash his rage upon his unexpecting opponent. The thought of taking Cyanwrath's head would be an excellent start to his days as a dragon hunter.

"Which of you is my challenger?" Cyanwrath growled. "Or is this a trick?"

"No trick!" Zavier promised. "I am acting as second to Fargrim Torun, the Champion of Greenest! He who charges into battle with a wild war cry that sends a chill down one's spine. He who-"

"Enough," Cyanwrath interrupted, looking down at Fargrim. "I look forward to fighting you, Fargrim Torun."

"Aye, likewise," Fargrim grinned. "I look forward te claimin' yer head."

"A bold one!" Cyanwrath chuckled. "Let's get down onto the terms of the duel! The three children are to be freed."

"They are?" Zavier exclaimed, seeing the kobolds release the three children.

"Git te th' keep," Fargrim urged them. "Yer uncle is waitin' fer ye."

The three children ran off. Cyanwrath continued. "My kobolds will continue to keep watch over the woman. If anyone, including your second, dares to interfere, she dies."

"And my good dwarf here has to beat you to secure her release?" Zavier questioned.

"My kobolds will release her regardless of victor," Cyanwrath assured them. "The victor will be the last one standing."

"Yer… yer awfully generous, lad," Fargrim complimented through gritted teeth. "What's th' catch?"

"The catch is that I get to fight the Champion of Greenest," Cyanwrath answered without hesitation. "The strongest warrior they have to offer. Now, grant us some space! We begin on your mark, second!"

Zavier and the kobolds backed off to their respective sides of the field. Fargrim eyed his foe cautiously. Cyanwrath was not the foe he was expecting. Strangely enough, he had a sense of honor, a code that the dwarf found himself identifying with. There was nothing wrong with being the strongest, he thought. There were benefits to such a claim in life.

However, Cyanwrath was still evil. He worked alongside the raiders in setting Greenest to the torch. He held hostages to ensured he received the fight he demanded. Most importantly, he was of draconic descent. Fargrim had seen the devastation of dragons and vowed that they would all fall. He would hunt them down without bias, claiming them so they can no longer threaten the world. He felt the rage boiling up within him. It was time.

"Begin!" Zavier announced.

Fargrim let out a wild and loud war cry, letting his rage consume him. He charged forward, closing the distance. Cyanwrath only ran forward to meet his charge. Their blades made initial contact against each other. Fargrim was swift enough to swing his greataxe into Cyanwrath's hip. Zavier cheered out alongside the townsfolk. For a moment, Fargrim was distracted. And in that moment, his foe land a blow with his blade upon his shoulder.

Fargrim fell back briefly, glaring at his wound. It was not as deep as the one he gave to Cyanwrath, but a cut was still a cut. To make matters worse, the draconic warrior did not seem unhindered by the blow. Fargrim spat on the growl, twirling his axe and spreading Cyanwrath's blood on the field. He was not going to lose. He was not going to fall victim to a dragon follower!

Fargrim and Cyanwrath charged forward once more, their shouts drowning each other out. This time, Fargrim lunged forward with a jump. Unhindered by armor, such a technique was available to him, while Cyanwrath, heavily armored, had to stick to the ground. Fargrim slashed out with his greataxe, slashing him down vertically from the chest and drawing blood. Cyanwrath let out a roar of pain when Fargrim landed on the ground. The draconic warrior returned with two rapid slashes of his own, cutting across Fargrim's chest.

The two appeared to be evenly match. Cyanwrath was more sturdy and skilled, but he had sustained two powerful cuts, which were now taking its toll on him. Fargrim was unrefined and took more blows than he could handle, but he was mighty, and his adrenaline from his rage pushed him on. There was a slight feeling on the back of his mind regarding how this duel would turn out. These next few blows would determine who would emerge the victor. The dwarf's rage pushed thoughts of doubt aside. He would be the one winning this fight, not the other way around.

"This is it, ye know," Fargrim announced. "Only one of us is walkin' away."

"And it won't be you," Cyanwrath snapped.

The two warriors charged at each other again. Both were ready to finish the battle once and for all. Fargrim's greataxe clashed against Cyanwrath's longsword. The dwarf quickly backed away from the swipe of his foes blade, then raised the shaft of his greataxe to block Cyanwrath's next strike. Fargrim growled between his panting, clutching his greataxe tightly so that his knuckles turned white. Cyanwrath, although wounded, stayed strong. The dwarf needed to win. He needed to prove he could slay a dragon, especially with his mentor watching.

Fargrim charged forward, swinging his greataxe down into Cyanwrath's gut with all of his might. It bit deeply into flesh but it was not enough. The warrior kicked the dwarf down, disarming him of his greataxe. Cyanwrath threw the weapon aside and slashed at Fargrim's extended arm, cutting it badly. He then followed up with a stab through the dwarf's chest. Fargrim gasped out blood in pain, his rage fading away. When Cyanwrath pulled the blade free, he fell down onto his knees. He wanted to keep fighting. He wanted to show that dragon who was superior.. But his body could not keep up.

"Fargrim!" Zavier called out.

"And this is your champion?" Cyanwrath pointed his blade down at Fargrim, stepping forward towards the keep. "LOOK AT YOUR CHAMPION!"

"I'm not done," Fargrim spat on the ground.

"What say you, second?" Cyanwrath pointed his blade at Zavier. "I could fight one more."

"I'm not done," Fargrim repeated, his voice a low mutter.

"If you'd allow, I can get him back to fighting condition," Zavier offered.

"He's done for," Cyanwrath shook his head.

"I'M NOT DONE!"

Cyanwrath turned his gaze downward, surprised by the sudden outburst.

"You're done."

Fargrim did not even have to look up to know that the force coming upon his back was Cyanwrath's longsword, coming down upon him. He fell down from his knees, lying chest down on the grass. His adrenaline rush had long faded away and he felt so much pain. It was hard to keep his eyes open as he saw Cyanwrath and his kobolds march away. It would be so easy to close his eyes and fall asleep. With a sigh, his vision turned dark as he closed his eyes.

His body became numb.

Fargrim saw darkness, but slowly, that faded. He was standing on a path that led upward to a mountain top. And waiting for him at the top of the ledge, he saw a dwarven woman carrying a small dwarven child. Behind them were a dozen of dwarves, smiling down upon him, inviting him to come forward. Fargrim took one step up the hill. Then another. The hand of the woman reached out to him. He hesitated to take it into his own.

The pain returned, although not as bad as it was before.

"Get up, my mighty friend!" Zavier called, his warm hands on his back, healing him with magic. "Greenest is saved."

"Master Blackwood," Fargrim took a deep breath in. "Ye need te unleash yer power upon Cyanwrath. Don't let him flee."

"If I do that, I risk getting you caught in the crossfire," Zavier shook his head. "Come, I'll carry you!"

"Nay," Fargrim spat. "I'm not done yet."

"You're not, but you need healing," Zavier told his student. "My magic was only able to do so much. The healers who tended to you before will be relieved to see you drove off the last of the raiders."

Fargrim groaned out in pain, making no attempt to stand up and return of his own will. Markuth's sister picked up his greataxe for the instruction of Zavier. The famed slayer himself picked up his dwarven companion and carried him on his back. Fargrim could make out the people on the keep, watching them. He was surprised to see that after his failure to win the battle. He was hyped up to impress them and his performance was lackluster.

"Master Blackwood, why de they cheer?" Fargrim asked.

"They cheer because you were willing to sacrifice your life in exchange that of four strangers," Zavier answered. "And they'll keep cheering, for their champion, despite all odds, survived to return."

"If only it were that easy, lad…"

* * *

 **A/N: The first chapter from Fargrim's PoV is the one he's nearly killed in. Fitting for a barbarian.**

 **Some of my friends have commented on the nature of the "unwinnable battle," such as the duel between Cyanwrath and the chosen PC is depicted to be. As a storyteller, I am in favor of obstacles that the players cannot overcome. It builds a lot with the characters. And in all honesty, this was one of my favorite chapters to write so far.**

 **Until next time.**


	14. A New Addition

Calder was surprised by two events during the duel: that Cyanwrath upheld his end of the bargain, and that Fargrim survived his injuries. It appeared that despite being a raider and a possible cultist, there was a cruel sense of honor within the draconic warrior that challenged them. As for Fargrim, the dwarf certainly could take a hit, that much was sure. Without any armor, something was pushing his companion onward with each blow he endures. The ranger would mourn for the day where he finally comes upon a challenge that can kill him. However, that day was not today, which he took in with relief.

With the last of the raiders gone, the townsfolk were free to return to Greenest. Escobert the Red and the militia left first to secure a perimeter around the town. Afterwards, the townsfolk were able to return to their homes, or what was left of them. They would have a long road ahead of them to rebuild, but at least they escaped with their lives. Robert left with his sister and her children, reunited at last. Calder was glad to see that after all he fought for, Sergeant Markguth was able to find some happiness and retire from fighting.

Calder, Zavier, and Skylar were asked to wait within the keep for Governor Nighthill. The governor was seeing to the town and left them in the main hall. Skylar and Calder sat silently while Zavier paced around the hallway, uneased. Fargrim was being tended to by the remaining healers, having passed out again. Nighthill was kind enough to provide them with two vials of red liquid, potions of healing. Both were given to Fargrim, although from what Zavier said, he thought it would be best to keep them on reserve for him to use in battle.

The gates to the main hall opened. Calder turned his head and let out a sigh of relief to see Fargrim walking towards them. He had been given a new set of clothes by Escobert and had his greataxe holstered. From what skin he saw, the ranger noticed that the dwarf was bandaged and stitched up. The warrior kept a cold demeanor about him, and walked off to a table to distance himself. It was Zavier who ran off to greet his friend, and their companions were quick to follow.

"Fargrim!" Zavier greeted warmly. "How good it is to see you again, my dear student!"

"It takes more than that te kill me, Master Blackwood," Fargrim pulled himself up to a seat. "What now?"

"We're waiting for Governor Nighthill," Calder informed him. "He wanted to meet with the four of us."

"You fought well, Fargrim," Skylar complimented.

"Not well enough," Fargrim shook his head. "If I did, I would have had his head."

"Don't blame yourself," Calder told his friend. "You fought for Greenest for a day and a half before that duel. You'll get him next time."

"Aye," Fargrim grunted. "I hope so. I'm wantin' a rematch fer th' next time we fight."

They had waited for Fargrim to return before they dined in on a midday meal of the leftover food and drink from the keep. It was a quick meal and enough to fill their stomachs for the time. Zavier continued to tell exaggerated stories of his deeds, each one more unlikely than the last. Calder was tempted to call him out on his lies but noticed that Fargrim was smiling, and even chuckling at times. He seemed to be reasonably intelligent yet believed in his lies. The ranger decided to drop the matter for now. What Fargrim needed right now was to be cheered up, and from the looks of it, Zavier was the right person for the job.

Finally, the doors to the keep once more. Governor Nighthill made his way inside, followed by Robert and a young man limping behind him. Calder was surprised to see that the the sergeant was still in his militia gear. He thought for sure that after the battle, he would look to retire from the conflict. Calder and the adventurers stood up, standing at attention to the governor and his company. The governor gave them a gentle smile, thankful for their aid in saving Greenest.

"Well met, champions," Nighthill started. "I have no reason to ask this of you, but I believe that you are the only ones capable enough to handle it."

"Speak of it, and we shall see it done," Zavier spoke on behalf of the group, with no one raising objections.

"Escobert and I talked, and we decided we want to know why we were attacked by those raiders," Nighthill explained. "Our scouts are able to determine their tracks, which head southeast. We believe that a group, such as yourself, can follow after them without risking detection."

"I suppose that's a good point," Skylar nodded. "We spent most of our time at Greenest sneaking around raiders."

"And on behalf of the people of Greenest, we shall pay you handsomely," Nighthill offered. "250 gold for the each of you."

"A fair deal!" Zavier quickly nodded. "What shall we do once we find their camp."

"We want as much information as you can get on them," Nighthill instructed. "How many raiders. Their leaders. Why they are doing this. Where their next target is. The more you can find out, the better. Additionally, if you can return any valuables taken from Greenest, that would be of benefit to us."

Calder nodded in agreement, seeing that taking this course of action would be his best next step. He was convinced that the raiders were the Cult of the Dragon that he sought to fight. Yet, he needed more evidence to determine if they were the cult, and if they were, he would need to gather evidence on what his father wanted him to do regarding them. Their plans were still a mystery to the ranger, but with his companions at his side, he was certain that they would become uncovered.

"An' what o' these two?" Fargrim motioned to Robert and the stranger. "What de they have de with this?"

"I'm coming with you lot," Robert announced.

"Sergeant Markguth, that's not necessary," Calder told him. "You've done your part. You should be with your family."

"I was, and we talked," Robert explained. "I want to stop those raiders, make sure they never put my family at harm against. And the best way to do that is with you all. I think I've proven myself by this point."

"You have," Skylar agreed. "And he is a local to the land. We could use a guide like him."

"Welcome aboard, Sir Markguth!" Zavier greeted. "Together, we shall bring an end to the threat the raiders pose!"

"I look forward to it," Robert smiled.

The adventurers took a moment to welcome Robert into their ranks. Zavier and Calder shook his hand, Skylar bowed, and Fargrim gave an approving nod. Although hesitant on bringing Robert, who had seen little action, the ranger reasoned that he has earned his spot in this group of theirs. He was even willing to trade blows with Cyanwrath. What he lacked in skill, he made up for passion. Sergeant Markguth joined up on the ranks, as the adventurers turned to the young man, who bowed to the group.

"My name is Nesim Waladra," the young man introduced. "I am a monk of Berdusk. I'd like to come with you, but given my current condition, but in this condition, I would slow you down."

"Then why de ye stall us, lad?" Fargrim asked in a demanding tone.

"In the midst of this tragedy, I doubt you heard of my master, Leosin Erlanthar, a monk from Berdusk as well," Nesim explained calmly. "He disappeared during the battle while we fought against the raiders. A few others and I fought our way to the keep, barely. Leosin didn't make it."

"I apologize for your lost," Calder bowed his head.

"But he's not dead," Nesim corrected. "We didn't find his body at all. We found his broken staff and his choker, but that's it."

"Where could he have gone?" Skylar questioned. "Did the raiders take him?"

"Perhaps, or perhaps, he joined up with them," Nesim thought out loud. "Not in a bad way. He's been investigating these raids for months. It would make sense for him to try to infiltrate them as they are returning. There is no one in the land who knows these bandits better than him. If you could find and rescue him from wherever he is, he may be able to provide valuable information."

"Then it would be wise to seek him out," Calder noted, then leaned in to whisper to Skylar. "What are monks?"

"Monks are scholars, and some of them even take up martial arts," Skylar whispered back with a smile. "A wonderful ally indeed."

"An' just what are ye doin' in Greenest?" Fargrim asks. "Seems awfully convenient."

"We were on our way from Berdusk after Master Erlanthar traveled to the great library at Candlekeep," Nesim answered. "Master Erlanthar was researching ancient dragonlore."

"Dragons?" Calder and Fargrim asked in unison.

"Yes," Nesim nodded. "Dragon cults are his speciality."

"Let me see his gear," Calder requested.

Nesim nodded and retrieved from his robes Leosin's broken staff and choker. The pieces of wood were irrelevant to the ranger. The necklace was braided with leather with a silver dragon designed in the strains of rope. At first, Calder grew paranoid, thinking that the monk master was aligned with the Cult of the Dragon. Then, he noticed that the ends of it were ragged, as if it had been torn off. Was Leosin with the cult, or were the raiders? He would have to find out.

"We shall see that what's left of his belongings are safely returned," Zavier promised.

"You are a blessing from the gods to look for my master," Nesim praised.

"And for defending Greenest," Nighthill joined in. "We thank you, heroes, and wish you the best of luck."

"We'll be back," Skylar smiled with a nod. "We'll help out as long as we're in the region."

"Of course," Nighthill looked to Robert. "Sergeant Markguth, keep them safe."

"I shall, Governor," Robert gave off a quick salute.

"We will not keep you back any longer," Nighthill announced. "Return safely to us."

"Onward, my companions!" Zavier exclaimed. "Our quest continues!"

The group of five pressed on by themselves, leaving the keep. Zavier took point, followed closely by Fargrim. Anxiously, Robert was right behind them, and Calder and Skylar walked by each other at the end of the line. They walked southeast, coming upon the trail Nighthill described. The mentor and student pressed on while Sergeant Markguth gave one final look to Greenest before following after them. Calder pressed on, glad to move on to the next stage of his quest.

Calder was convinced that the Cult of the Dragon was involved with the raids. Whether they were disguised as the bandits or captured a cultist in form of Leosin, he was unsure. The only people he could trust as of now were the four that traveled with him, those who have proven themselves capable. He took one last glance at the choker, noting the dragon, then pocketing it. There was much he still had to learn and the only way to do so was to press on and see where the road takes him.

* * *

 **A/N: As noted in my profile, I'm going to be moving away from set times. I have many other projects to work on, some educational, some professional, and some recreational. I shall update on Wednesdays if I have something to post, and write if the muse strikes me. The good news is that it means there's not a limit for how many chapters I'll post in a single day.**

 **Until next time.**


	15. In Pursuit of the Raiders

The group followed the tracks south. Calder focused on the number, although it was hard to keep track. There were men and there were beasts of burden with those men. The men were humans and kobolds while the beasts were some sort of reptile. It was impossible to tell how many there were, and how to separate the raiders from the prisoners they took. Fargrim was the first to notice that the reptile's tracks were deeper in the ground than that of the humanoids. Calder was surprised not to notice this himself, although he quickly reminded himself that he focused on the raider's tracks rather than their beasts.

This led to a bit of speculation between the group. Fargrim believed that the beasts were larger and purposely digging into the ground. Robert argued that they could be transporting prisoners. Zavier agreed that they were holding something, but rather than people, they were holding treasure looted from Greenest. Robert and Zavier argued about their point for a few minutes while they followed the tracks. Finally, Skylar interrupted them, pointing out that they both at least agreed the beasts held onto something. The two men silently agreed to that and it put an end to their speculation.

They traveled on hills for several hours until they came upon a rocky and rugged region of the land. To the side of the terrain were stone plateaus, covering the ground they walked on. Fields of boulders marked the land with caves dug into the side of the rock walls. Calder thought it would be impossible to climb to the top. The only possible way to do so would be to walk carefully on the fallen rocks that form a makeshift ramp towards the top. Thankfully, both the raiders and his companions took the safe route.

"Hold!" Calder raised a hand, looking up to the sky.

"Ah, do we need a break already?" Zavier asked in a taunting manner.

"Zavier, let him speak," Skylar insisted, following his gaze.

"Smoke," Calder pointed out the smoke forming towards the sky. "It means there's a group not too far from us now."

"Good eye, lad," Fargrim complimented. "We'll make a quick detour te check it out."

"What about the main group?" Robert asked. "They're the ones with the prisoners."

"We can't go in blindly however," Skylar noted. "We're going to find their main camp soon enough, Sergeant Markguth. Have faith in us."

Robert was hesitant, but ultimately, followed the choice of his companions. He was intent on going through with their main task but knew that he could not do it alone. They shifted position, with Calder taking lead and everyone else behind him. When they grew closer to the source of the smoke, the ranger made out a delicious smell that was vaguely familiar to him. It was chicken, and although it lacked the spices used as Greenest, he knew that whoever they were coming upon were stopping to take a meal. In a place undefended such as this, that would be a costly mistake.

There were four humans and eight kobolds in some sort of debate over the cooking fire. Calder could not tell what they were arguing about since it was in a language unfamiliar to him. While the kobolds wore their weapons around their waist, the humans had left their arms against a rock not too far from them. Still, they acted with superiority towards the smaller, draconic minions. One even went so far as to kick one of the kobolds in the ground. In the end, the kobolds took about half of the chicken and walked several feet away from the raiders. They returned to their conversation, which was still heated.

"What're they saying?" Robert whispered to the group.  
"I can't tell," Calder answered with a sigh.

"The kobolds wanted their share of the meal, an' th' raiders were disrespectin' 'em," Fargrim revealed to the group. "Now they're arguin' about the best way te cook chicken."

"You understand them?" Skylar asked in shock.

"Aye, they're speakin' Draconic," Fargrim informed the group. "I study my enemy."

"And these are our enemies," Robert nodded. "Raiders from the group."

"And we have the element of surprise, my good companions," Zavier grinned. "Gather around. I have an idea."

 **X**

"So we're in agreement then." Calder nodded. "Let's move on with the first part then."

"Are you listening to my objections?" Zavier exclaimed silently. "Why did we have to change my original plan to this?"

"You wanted us to walk up and say we were raiders that were lost on the way back," Skylar pointed out. "We know very well that they are raiders, but we don't know of their purpose enough to fake it."

"All of us are giving you covering fire," Robert reminded him. "You're not going in alone."

"Ye'll do fine, Master Blackwood!" Fargrim assured his companion. "We have yer back."

Zavier nodded, although he was still hesitant. After hearing his outrageous plan, Calder and Robert were quick to come up with a much more reasonable one. Granted, it involved putting Zavier in a lot of danger, but if it went as planned, then he would emerge without a scratch. Calder pulled out his longbow and nocked an arrow upon it. Fargrim brought out a javelin and twirled it in his hands. Skylar brought her hands together and Robert loaded up his crossbow. Zavier took a moment to stretch, a good portion of phase one of the plan fell onto him. Calder hoped that their bait would go through with the plan.

Zavier dashed from their cover and ran straight towards the makeshift camp the kobolds made. They did not notice him at first, dining on their meal. It was only when Calder and Fargrim struck down two kobolds with their arrow and javelin respectively that they realized they were under attack. They tried to advance on Zavier, who brought his arms crossed over his chest and released them, along with a spell. The Thunderwave blasted four kobolds back, putting an end to them. The remaining two were blasted by the white missiles of Skylar's Magic Missiles, the blue flames circling over head.

Robert pointed his crossbow at the raiders, but it would not fired. He grunted in frustration and threw the jammed weapon aside, pulling out his sword before charging. The raiders recovered their weapons while he charged in. Fargrim threw another javelin, injuring one of their foes, whom Calder finished off with a shot to the throat. Zavier went with a low insult, his magic causing one to stumble. The flames surrounding Skylar's head intensified as she held her hand out towards the raiders. She slammed her fist into an open palm, and the ground beneath them shook. Two fell for good, the vibrations ending their lives. The final one was confronted by Robert, who knocked him out could with the hilt of his blade.

"I survived!" Zavier cheered. "Or, uh, we won the battle!"

"Good work, everyone," Skylar complimented, her fires fading away. "Sergeant Markguth, let's look at their stolen goods. We may be able to determine if they're from Greenest."

"Of course!" Robert nodded in agreement.

"Fargrim, want to help me interrogate the survivor?" Calder asked.

"Aye," Fargrim nodded, grinning eagerly.

While Calder started off by tying the man up, he kept an open ear on Skylar and Robert's efforts. The kobolds had a sack from their camp, containing several valuables. Metallic candlesticks, silver dishes, and religious carvings. Robert was quick to identify the carvings belonging to Chauntea, the goddess of life. The other valuables he was not able to figure out. He decide that they likely belonged to another town as he thought no one back in Greenest had something so valuable. The bandits did not have any loot such as that, although Zavier did loot them for their pocket change.

Fargrim shook the bandit awake, who groaned back into consciousness.

"We have a few questions for you," Calder started the interrogation.

"I refuse to speak with you," the man spat and looked away.

"Are you sure?" Calder pulled out his longbow and knocked an arrow on it. "We can be very persuasive."

The bandit remained silent.

"He senses that yer bluffin', lad," Fargrim pointed out. "Yer not th' kind o' lad te shoot someone like that."

"You're right," Calder sighed and lowered his bow.

"I am," Fargrim pulled out his greataxe. "Ye tell us what we want te know, or ye lose yer head."

"You're also not the kind of dwarf to cut a man down in cold blood," the bandit spoke. "I heard stories from the pitiful kobolds of how you faced Langdedrosa Cyanwrath by yourself to save a family. How noble."

"Uh, thank ye," Fargrim muttered in honest surprise.

"I also heard how you were beaten down by him with ease," the bandit laughed. "I do not fear you."

"An' he loses his head!" Fargrim raised his axe up.

"Fargrim, wait!" Calder grabbed the weapon before Fargrim swung it down.

"It appears I have to do everything myself," Zavier, who had witnessed the interrogation, gave a long drawn sigh. "Very well. The two of you step aside."

"We're actually letting him do this?" Calder rolled his eyes.

"Stand aside fer Master Blackwood," Fargrim announced as Zavier stepped up.

"Do you know who I am?" Zavier started to question the bandit.

"Should I?" The bandit growled.

"I am Zavier Blackwood, son of Sergil Blackwood. You surely heard of him, yes?"

The bandit paused. "I heard of that name before. Where was it?"

"My father is a famous man. Do you know how many dragons he has killed so far?"

"What?!"

"He makes a living out of killing dragons. He does it by himself, with his own two hands. No magic involved. And he has taught me some of his techniques. I have used such techniques to kill dragons myself."

"You're bluffing." The bandit sounded uncertain.

"You wait until the dragon is down, such as how you are right now. Then, you stab its eyes out. The dragon is blinded now. While it frantically tries to bite you, it is time to sneak around and cut its wings to pieces, to ensure it doesn't escape. Then, you go for the throat."

"That can't be true."

"I can demonstrate it for you. And should you fail to speak, I'm sure my father would show you more of his techniques."

"I'll talk!" the bandit squealed. "I'll talk! Just please, leave me be!"

"Good," Zavier smiled. "You two can handle the questions from here. I have to divide the loot now."

Zavier walked away from the bandit, Calder looking in disbelief while Fargrim stares in awe. The half-elf was unconvinced that Zavier was who he claimed to be. There was no telling just who the man was but being a dragon slayer definitely wasn't something he was. However, the bandit didn't know what Zavier was capable of. The ranger gave his companion credit where he was due: he could put up so convincing of an act to his advantage.

"Why did you attack Greenest?" Calder asked. "Why did you put all of those innocent lives at risk?"

"For loot, of course," the man answered. "We needed valuables such as the gems and antiques Greenest had."

"Ye sacked an entire town te fill yer pockets with gold?"

"No! We wouldn't dare take any of the loot for ourselves! It all goes to the great hoard of the Dragon Queen!"

"Dragon Queen?" Calder raised an eyebrow.

"Tiamat," Fargrim closed his eyes, holding in his anger. "The queen of chromatic dragons."

"You're with the Cult of the Dragon," Calder declared. "All of the raiders are."

"Of course," the cultist chuckled. "And once the hoard is complete, this world will see ruin and the Dragon Queen shall reign supreme!"

"I heard enough from ye," Fargrim growled.

Calder looked in horror, unable to stop Fargrim from separating the cultist's head from his body with his greataxe. Skylar gasped at the scene, Zavier looked away, and Robert nodded in approval. Calder had more questions to ask of the cultist regarding the Cult of the Dragon. Yet, they couldn't keep a prisoner around for when they ventured closer to the camp. It's not like someone so low on the chain of command would have the answers he seeks.

"Fargrim, clean up the bodies," Calder instructed. "Everyone else, let's set up camp. I want us at full strength when we make it to the main camp tomorrow."

* * *

 **A/N: And as hinted in the last chapter's notes, two chapters in a single day. I already had this one written up but didn't want to wait a week to post it. So, here we have it.**

 **Ethical decisions in Dungeons and Dragons are usually pushed to the side. I hope to explore the fallout of the execution here, and have already hinted at what everyone else thinks about it.  
**

 **Until next time.**


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